


The Curse That Is Humanity

by SterekShipper



Series: Cursed Theo [5]
Category: teen wolf - Fandom
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, POV Alternating, emerging relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:46:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 31,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29778432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SterekShipper/pseuds/SterekShipper
Summary: The aftermath of ‘Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold’.What will happen next? Will Theo find the peace he’s been looking for, or is something lurking in the shadows?
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken, Scott McCall/Malia Tate
Series: Cursed Theo [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1941367
Comments: 125
Kudos: 23





	1. Theo

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is! The first chapter! 😄
> 
> I hope y’all enjoy it. 😁

There was screaming and grunts all around him. Everywhere he looked, someone was fighting. Howls of pain. Trails of blood. Gunshots rung out through the otherwise quiet night. It could all be heard. It was all visible to the naked eye. It didn’t take the supernatural to realise they were in trouble. They were on the back foot and fading fast. If they didn’t find an advantage and soon, this could take a sharp turn and spiral beyond control.

For the most part, he ignored the sounds around him. The Pack could handle itself. They could take care of each other. He had to focus. He had to stop the hunter threatening to overpower him. They were vastly outnumbered and surrounded by armed men. No one could afford a slip in attention. Not even for a second.

Despite that, his world came to an abrupt halt. It happened in an instant. One moment, and it all changed. He was in the middle of taking down the biggest threat on his side of the Preserve, when he heard it.  
The ear splitting crack of someone’s spine.  
The agonising howl.

“Scott!”  
There, in the middle of the open patch of land amongst the cluster of trees, lay their Alpha. Immobile and prone to attack. All eyes were on Scott. Every hunter had directed their guns at that sole spot. Intent on killing the True Alpha.

The injuries were healing, but not fast enough. It was a severe break. Scott needed time to heal, and he’d be damned if he didn’t get it. He was moving in the blink of an eye. There was no time to process what was happening; he had to act.

In only a few seconds, he’d knocked out three hunters. The advantages of standing in a row, and ignoring your surroundings. The Pack were right behind. They had moved at the same time, which resulted in a scattering of hunters lining the ground. Liam knelt, hunched over Scott. It was like watching the beta build a protective cocoon. No one could make it through. Not without first taking Liam out.

A rush of fear swept through him, and once again, he found himself propelled forward. He didn’t know what he was doing. He didn’t know what would come next. All he knew was he had to act. He had to get there in time.  
The moment he saw the lone figure standing amongst the shadows, buried within the trees, he leapt into action. The loud crack of gunfire meant nothing to him. All he could see was Liam. Open and in danger.

The pain was immediate. It flared through his shoulder, trailing down his arm and burrowing deep within his chest. His knees hit the ground a second later; his chest burning and tight. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was he made it. Liam remained unharmed. Liam, who was staring up at him, eyes wide in shock. He couldn’t breathe, but it didn’t matter.  
Liam was safe, and that’s what was important.

“Theo!”  
The shout was lost to a rush of a blood filling his ears. Vision blurred, the world fell to pieces. Darkness crept in, dragging him under, and as fast as it had occurred, it was over.

~

Slowly, he begun to realise something. Something he didn’t think would happen again.  
He was breathing.  
He was _alive_.  
The world around him was still rendered pitch black. There was nothing to indicate where he was, or how long it had been. He didn’t know if he was alone or surrounded by people. If there were others here, how many were there, and who are they? Was he with the Pack, or had he been captured? Was he tied up somewhere, held hostage by yet another sadistic murderer, or was it someone after information?

The next piece of information he registered, was the lingering tightness in his chest. It was strong. Unrelenting. It refused to permit even a second of peace, but it had, in fact, subsided from earlier. It wasn’t suffocating in intensity, anymore. So, then. It had simply hit a plateau.

After that, he recognised the stale scent of sweat. It filled his nose so quickly, he was overcome by a wave of nausea. The retching motion was impossible to subdue. It tore through his body, shaking it to the core. A stream of pain coursed through him. There wasn’t a single inch left unaffected. With his sight still escaping him, he was left to the dark and confusion.

There was no room for fear. He was too busy trying to understand why he couldn’t focus or control his senses. It should have been the cause of his terror. It should have left him afraid of what he might find, but all he could think of was how he needed answers.

This wasn’t a nightmare. It wasn’t a sleep induced illusion that he could wake from. He had to concentrate. He needed to work out where he was and fast. If he was with the hunters, then there was no telling what they had in store. Torture wasn’t exactly on the list of exciting activities he wanted to revisit. More than that, he needed to find the Pack. He needed to know what had happened to them.  
He needed to ensure they were safe.

Breathe. Slow and steady. Tune out the disgusting smell of sweat, which seemed to have intensified. How was that possible? Were there more people present, or had they come closer? Deep breath. In and out. In and out.  
Gradually, he found a sliver of control. Minute as it was, it was there. It was enough to give him hope, and right now, that was all he had.

Above all else, he needed to regain his sight. He needed to know how much danger he was in. It was the only way he could start to assemble a plan to escape. Deep breath. In and out. In and out.  
Now, open your eyes. Let the light in. Cast out the shadows, and fill in the holes. That’s it. It’s working. Thin dots of white surfaced, one after the other, spread across the darkness. They multiplied by the second, crowding the once blank slate. Soon, the room was awash with light.

It took a moment for the sudden brightness to ease. Once the blinding quality was gone, the world emerged in an array of colours. Blinking to rid himself of the lingering blurriness, he took in his surroundings. A doctor’s- no, _vet_ clinic. People surrounded him. A large group.  
 _The Pack_.  
They were here. They were _safe_.

He wasn’t with the hunters. That was an enormous relief, in and of itself.

That realisation was lost to the sudden barrage of questions. There were so many voices, it was impossible to make out the words. Everyone spoke over one another; their words joining to form one loud cluster of sounds.  
“Liam.” His own voice came out weak. It was no surprise with how dry his throat was, (a fact he only now became aware of). He likely hadn’t spoken in a while, and whatever had taken place before, had probably led to this.

The noise faded to a nonexistent blur, as the beta knelt down; closing the distance between them without hesitation. A hand wrapped around his own, and he knew if he looked down, he’d see his fingers intertwined with Liam’s. Only then, with that thought in mind, did he realise he was lying down. The surface felt hard. Solid. Cold.  
 _The examination table._

“Thank goodness. We were beginning to think you wouldn’t wake up.” The sheer relief in those words was almost palpable. It was evident in those blue eyes. In the way they never strayed from his.  
“What- what happened? After...” He could barely talk. Every word drained the little oxygen he retained.  
“You jumped in front of a bullet.”

The image of the Preserve floated before his eyes, as clear as if he were standing there, instead of lying in the Animal Clinic.  
“Scott?” His voice had taken on a raspy tone. It was worse than before.  
“I’m fine, Theo.” Scott walked forward to stand beside him. The spinal damage had finally healed. The hunters hadn’t killed Scott. Oh, thank goodness. They were all okay. They had survived.

“The hunters...?”  
“They’re with the Sheriff. He’ll deal with them.” A rush of anger flooded Liam’s voice. He recoiled at the enraged scowl directed right at him. “You’re an _idiot_ , Theo.”  
“Liam-”  
“ _No_. Don’t interrupt me. Do you have _any_ _idea_ how dangerous that was? How _stupid_ that was?”

Swallowing, he tried his best to answer. To explain.  
“I had- had to- stop them. I had to- pro-protect you- and Scott.”  
That only seemed to anger Liam more. “What about _you_?! Did you even _think_ about what would happen if you _died_?”  
“Liam-”  
“Do you realise how _close_ it was?” You were _this_ close to not surviving!”

That left him speechless. He’d thought that he was going to when he was first shot, but he didn’t know it was that serious. Regaining consciousness had taken longer than usual, and it didn’t resemble any of the previous close calls he’d had, but he thought he was out of the woods. If he was alive, then it mustn’t have been that bad.  
Apparently, he was wrong.  
“I’m sorry.”

“ _No_. No, you don’t get to do that. You don’t get to say you’re sorry, and expect it to be okay. I thought we lost you. You were dying, and there was nothing I could do to help you. I thought you _had_ died. For a moment there, a long, _agonising_ moment, I thought you had _died_. Do you know what that’s like? Do you know what it’s like to watch the person you l-” Liam’s breath hitched, sobs racking his body. “-your friend die?”

He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know how to make this better. It was devastating to see Liam in so much pain. Knowing he had caused it, made it so much worse.

“I’m sorry, Liam. I am. I just- couldn’t let you- be shot. You- or Scott.” He needed Liam to understand. He needed the _Pack_ to understand. “I didn’t mean to- scare you. I didn’t- think. There was no time. I just- ran.”  
Liam didn’t respond. Overwhelmed by tears and residual fear, it was beyond Liam’s current capabilities. Instead, Stiles spoke, and oh, was the human furious.

“Those bullets you were shot with?” (Wait, bullets? There was more than one?) “They were poisoned.” (Well, that explains the pain. It didn’t explain the rest, though. This wasn’t the first time he’d been poisoned, and he had _never_ experienced something like that).

“Wolfsbane. Some unknown variant. Deaton didn’t have time to research. We had to rely on what little knowledge he had on the rare types of wolfsbane. There was no guarantee that it was the right one. For all we knew, the remedy would be useless. It could have been a complete waste of time, but we had to try. We had to do _something_.

“The bullet couldn’t just be burned out. Oh, no. We had to concoct some random potion with a bunch of herbs, that Deaton just _happened_ to have, and apply it to the wounds. With the potion counteracting the damage, _that’s_ when we had to burn the wolfsbane out of your system. Even after all of that, there was no way to know if it had worked. Not until you woke up. _If_ you woke up.”

He couldn’t imagine what that would have been like. He couldn’t imagine going through that. Experiencing such uncertainty. It was a terrible situation, and he definitely didn’t want to know what it felt like.  
“I didn’t mean to- scare you. I was just- trying to save them.”

“You can’t do that if you’re dead. You need to protect yourself, as well.” Stiles refused to relent.  
“I don’t know what you want- me to say.” It was getting a little easier to speak with each passing sentence. Each lecture provided a chance to breathe. Every second the poison seemed further from his heart. Every second the pain lessened.  
“I don’t want you to _say_ anything. I want you to stop _sacrificing_ yourself.”  
“I’m not sacrificing-”

“Oh, don’t give me that. We all know you’d risk your own life for the Pack. Well. No more.”  
“Stiles, I’m not doing anything you wouldn’t-”  
“I never jumped in front of a _literal_ bullet!” Stiles was fuming. Disagreeing wasn’t helping, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t mean to scare everyone, but he wouldn’t allow anyone else to be hurt. Not if he could help it.

“Even if it were Derek?”  
“I’d push him out of the way!”  
“I’m glad you could do that, but I didn’t exactly have time. I barely made it as it was.” He might be able to speak clearly now, but that didn’t prevent the fatigue from setting in.  
“I mean it, Theo. You can’t keep doing this.” Stiles crossed his arms, defiantly. This was going to be a long day. All he wanted was to go back to his truck, find somewhere to park and sleep.

As a tired sigh slipped passed his lips, he let his eyes wander. The entire Pack was here, and they all shared the same look of disappointment, mixed with frustration and anger. No one was going to take his side in this. It was a rather conflicting moment, if he were honest.

This was what he’d wanted for so long. To be part of the Pack. To be accepted. For someone to care about what happens to him. He finally had that. Don’t get him wrong, he was happy about that; he just didn’t realise it would mean dissecting his every decision.

“I’ll try, okay? I’ll try to be more careful.” He groaned at the lack of agreement. He was met with the same unwavering stare as before. “I can’t promise it won’t happen again, Stiles. I don’t know what might happen.”  
The stare stayed the same for a moment, before it was broken by a small smirk. It grew as he watched, and he knew Stiles too well to expect anything good from that look.

“You’ll promise, or I might just have to share some more stories from our childhood.”  
He really should have known this would come up at some point. Stiles had way too much blackmail material on him. There was no telling what he might reveal. He was far from confident when they were children, and it led to some extremely uncomfortable moments.

“You can’t trick me, Stiles. I’m not fooling for the blackmail routine.”  
That smirk grew wider still. Apparently, that was the response Stiles had been waiting for.  
“I guess I’ll just have to share the incident from third grade, then.”  
Oh, that’s so specific. Out of all his embarrassing moments, the majority occurred during third grade. He merely rolled his eyes, which Stiles seemed to take as his cue to continue.

“You don’t believe me? What do you say we talk about October 23rd?”  
He nearly choked on air from the shock. In an instant, he was sitting up. Probably not a good idea, given the way his head swum from the sudden movement, but here they were. He cringed at the sense of victory in Stiles’ eyes.  
“You can’t.”  
“That’s up to you. Anything you’d like to say?”  
“ _Stiles_.”  
“Last chance, Theo.”

No. No, this couldn’t happen. He couldn’t afford to have what happened that day come to light. _Ever_. It had to be the third most embarrassing day of his life. Unfortunately for him, Stiles had been present. No one else was around, but Stiles just _had_ to have followed him.  
The only things worse were the ice rink, and if Liam were to find out about his feelings.

“Okay.”  
“Are you sure?” He didn’t appreciate the raised eyebrow.  
“Yes.”  
“No more stupid martyr act?”  
“ _Yes_. Now, _shut up,_ Stiles.” He _really_ didn’t want to talk about this. He understood Stiles was trying to protect him, and if they ended this now, it could stay that way. He just _really_ didn’t want to get into this.  
Thankfully, Stiles agreed, and despite the curiosity from the Pack, no one mentioned the scene or existence of said unknown event.

After that, the Pack went home, and he was left to rest, alone. Okay, not alone. Liam was the one person who stayed. The beta _refused_ to leave. Not until it was certain he wouldn’t relapse or experience any unknown complications.

An hour later, he woke to Liam’s quiet snoring.  
Liam looked so peaceful, he couldn’t bear to wake the beta up. He waited almost half an hour, but he really needed to leave. He needed to move his truck. He needed to find somewhere to sleep, where he could hopefully obtain a full night’s sleep.

Begrudgingly, Liam finally agreed to go home, but only after practically examining every inch of him in the process. To say it was uncomfortable would be an understatement.

It felt good to be behind the wheel of his truck. Someone drove it back, much to his relief. He didn’t want to trek back through the Preserve to find it. Reversing out of the carpark, he couldn’t stop thinking about just pulling over and lying down. The further he went, the fatigue begun to take control. He fought to keep driving, at least until he reached a more secluded place.

Eventually, it became too much. He couldn’t keep going. If he didn’t stop now, he’d end up crashing. He wasn’t particularly keen on the idea of waiting for his bones to heal, or what Stiles would say if he ever found out.  
Pulling into a spot behind a closed supermarket, he climbed into the back seat. It felt so good to stretch out, before curling in and letting his head fall. Tugging the blanket close, he let himself fall into a deep sleep.


	2. Parrish

Nearly there. He was almost off duty, and he could lay down. As much as he loved his job, a night of patrolling wasn’t as eventful, tonight. Now, that’s not a bad thing. He’d much rather fight off boredom and fatigue, than deal with any supernatural threat. A night off from human induced crimes, was also a bonus.

He hadn’t seen anything out of the ordinary, and with only an hour to go before he clocked off, he was ready to turn back. That is, until something caught his eye.

There, behind the supermarket was a truck. After hours, the carpark was closed, so he’d have to look into loitering charges. If the person was there, they would be lucky and be asked to move on. If not, they would return to find the truck towed. Driving closer, he could see it in more detail and... wait. He knew that truck.

It was Theo’s.

Why would Theo be parked out here this late? It didn’t make sense. Pulling up, he made his way over. Shining his torch near the drivers’ seat window, he found it empty. Come on, Theo. Where are you? The last thing he wanted to do was tow Theo’s truck. If Theo didn’t show up soon, though, he’d have no choice.

When fifteen minutes had passed, (quite generous, considering he didn’t need to wait, at all), and there was still no sign of anyone, he had to call it in. It was unfortunate. Theo had been through so much, lately. He didn’t want to add this on top of it. Especially when life seemed to be going easy on him.

Stepping away from the truck, he pulled his radio out, but something made him stop. The outline of something on the back seat caught his attention. It was rather large, and he didn't know what it could be. Moving closer, he held the torch up for a better look. When he recognised the shape, he froze.

There, sprawled across the seats, was Theo.  
 _Asleep_.  
Why would Theo be out here? Why wasn’t he at home? Surely, his bed would be better than sleeping in his truck. Especially, after the fight with the hunters. Scott had mentioned the rare wolfsbane being used. It couldn’t have been easy. Something like that had to take a toll on the body. According to Scott’s recount of how serious it was, it had.

Theo must have been tired, if he’d chosen to pull up here and rest. It was for that reason he felt bad about waking him up. At least, Theo decided to stop. Knocking once had no effect. He tried again and received the same result. Trying a third time, it finally worked. He waited as Theo shifted; first, rolling onto his back, and then looking out at him.

The first thing he noticed was the resigned frown. Okay, being woken up wasn’t pleasant, but why did Theo look like he was used to this?

Theo sat up slowly, and it appeared like it was an enormous effort. The door opened, and Theo silently walked to the driver’s seat. There was no pause in movement. No attempt to explain or offer an apology. It’s not like he expected one. A reason that is. Obviously, Theo was too tired to drive home. He understood.

If Theo still needed to sleep, there was a spot around the corner. If need be, he could drive the truck over. He may need to ask Theo to move, but that didn’t mean he’d risk Theo’s safety, to do so. It seemed however, like he might not get a chance. Theo had closed the front door, only seconds after exiting the truck. If this was how it would be, how was he supposed to help?

“Theo-”  
“I know the drill, Parrish. I’m going.”  
With that, the ignition switched on, and he could do nothing but watch as Theo pulled out. Watching the truck until it disappeared into the distance, he couldn’t begin to comprehend what had just happened.

How did a simple wake up call, turn into Theo leaving, and what did “I know the drill” mean?


	3. Theo

This is what he gets. He should have known better. He _did_ know better. Tired or not, he shouldn’t have stopped. He parked too close to town. He parked in the open. He parked where he could be found. He shouldn’t have stopped. Okay, so _maybe_ that’s not realistic. In all likelihood, if he had continued driving, he would probably have crashed. For all he knew, he could have been lying in a ditch, right now.

Instead, he was awake and as tired as when he first pulled into that cursed carpark. Being woken up for the first time in so long, had been a sad and painful reminder. He may be Pack, now, but that didn’t mean everything had changed. That didn’t mean he deserved peace. It didn’t mean he deserved a home.  
As it turns out, the Sheriff’s Department were content to disturb him for the rest of his life. If they had their way, he would likely never get a good night’s sleep, again.

He understood what he had done was unforgivable. At least, in regards to complete forgiveness. He understood no one could ever forget; most of all, himself. He understood that, but did he really deserve to be subjected to this? Did he really deserve to be left out in the cold? Scared and alone?

It didn’t seem right. More so than ever. After spending the past several months with Liam, and learning that he was considered Pack, he didn’t think it was. As destructive as his past was, it was just that. His past.

He didn’t deserve this.

If he were honest, what hurt the most was the fact that it was Parrish. In all these years, not once had Parrish woken him up. Not once was it Parrish telling him to move. The past few weeks, he had begun to see the hellhound as a friend.

Apparently, that wasn’t enough to change the ingrained belief system of Beacon Hill’s Sheriff’s Department. It seems even friendship wasn’t enough to deter the nightly wake up calls.

He was beginning to think nothing would ever be enough.


	4. Sheriff Stilinski

Sometimes, he really wished there wasn’t so much paperwork involved in being the Sheriff. It was worse than when he was a deputy. Take on the additional responsibility, and you get the additional filing duties.

He’d been sitting at his desk for hours, and he hadn’t looked up from the endless folders. At this point, he never wanted to see another pen or paper in his life. What he wouldn’t do for a coffee, right about now. Of course, Stiles would probably spend the next hour lecturing him about his blood pressure.

“Sheriff?”  
He sighed in relief, as he sat back in his chair. The door had opened so slowly, he didn’t hear it. He thanked his lucky stars, while it slid shut.  
“Parrish, you’re a godsend.”  
“Sir?”  
He could hear the confusion in Parrish’s voice, which is the only reason he excused the ‘sir’.  
“Please tell me you have something other than filling in paperwork for me.”

“I do, Sheriff. I found Theo parked out at ‘Beacon Hills’ Fresh Food Supermarket.”  
Why would Theo be all the way out there? At this time of night?  
“What was he doing?”  
“That’s just it. He was sleeping. I can say without a doubt, that he was exhausted. It was obvious the moment I saw him.”

“Is he okay?”  
“I don’t think he is. When he saw me, his reaction was instant. All I saw was resignation. I tried to suggest another place he could pullover if he needed to rest more, but he refused to listen. The strangest part, was when he said he knew the drill.”  
That didn’t make any sense. Theo wasn’t one for being cryptic. Even with all the lies in the past, Theo had never been hard to understand. They may have missed the hidden truth, but they knew what Theo wanted them to believe.

“Which is?”  
“I’m not sure. I could be wrong, Sheriff, but it was almost like Theo was used to being woken up.”  
Parrish mirrored his own confusion, perfectly. There was no way that could be true. If it were, it meant this had happened before. Not only that, but if that were true, then the deputies would have seen Theo.

He would have been told if a young boy was constantly found asleep in his truck. There were procedures. There were steps in place to deal with such situations.  
“Wait here.”  
Pushing the door open, he took in the deputies at work. He knew these people. He trusted them. They would have said something. They would have told him.

“Deputy Zigor.” The man in question showed little interest. It may have been a long day, but he expected respect. It was likely a result of the large pile of paperwork on the man’s desk, but hey. If he had to do it, then so did the deputies. “I’d like to see you in my office.”  
Stepping aside, he waited for Deputy Zigor to make his way over. Once inside, he closed the door, and he saw the confusion when Deputy Zigor realised they weren’t alone.  
“Sheriff, what is this about?”

“Have you seen a blue truck parked around town, lately?”  
Whatever he’d been expecting, it certainly wasn’t the loud scoff he received. At no point, did he think one of his deputies would respond in such a rude way.  
“Theo Raeken. Yeah, I’ve seen him around. So, have the other deputies. Parks anywhere and everywhere. You’d think he’d get the hint and move his truck elsewhere. Then again, we haven’t seen him in a while, so maybe he has.”

Okay, he needed to breathe. It wasn’t going to help if he overreacted. This could all be a misunderstanding. Oh, _please_ let it be a misunderstanding.  
“Are you telling me this has been a regular occurrence?”  
Sheriff Zigor sneered; lips tilted up with a malicious undertone. “It wasn’t just regular. It was every night.”

He did not hear that. He did _not_ just hear that. A deputy did _not_ just say this has been constant. “Then, _why_ wasn’t I informed?” He was this close to snapping, but he had to be sure. There wasn’t much room left for leeway or confusion, but he had to be certain.  
“Tell you what? That the guy is loitering around town? That’s he’s an incessant pain in the ass? We had it handled, Sheriff.”

“You had it... Sheriff Zigor. There are procedures for this. There are expectations that you and the other deputies follow them.”  
“I’m not doing more paperwork because some kid sleeps in his truck. It’s not my fault he can’t find a better place to live.”

Oh, that does it. There was no doubt about intention or reasoning, anymore. There was no possibility the deputy hadn’t known. As if this wasn’t bad enough, there were apparently others in his department who felt the same way.

Before he could respond, though, Parrish spoke. Here he was, thinking he was angry. If he were honest, Parrish had him beat.

“You _knew_? You _knew_ Theo was _homeless_ , and you said nothing? How could you leave him out there? How could you be so _heartless_?”  
“Don’t pretend like the kid’s anything more than an annoyance. It’s why the Sheriff assigned deputies to tail him. To find out what the kid’s been up to.” There was no remorse to Deputy Zigor’s voice. There was no awareness that what he and the other deputies had done was wrong.

“He’s a _person_! He has a right to be _safe_! To have a _home_! Theo shouldn’t have been forced to live on the street! _You_ had a responsibility to help him, and you did _nothing_! No wonder Theo looked like he was used to being told to move. You never suggested another place to park. _You never cared_.

“Oh, and don’t pretend like you know what the Sheriff is thinking. He wasn’t harassing Theo for the fun of it, like you were. He was being cautious and protective of Stiles. The Sheriff never would have left Theo there.”  
If he thought he and Parrish were angry before, it was nothing to how they felt now. Deputy Zigor didn’t budge. There was no sign of any change in opinion. Not even the slightest hint that they’d gotten through.

“How long?” He took a deep breath, when all he heard was _another_ loud scoff. “Do _not_ disrespect me or Deputy Parrish. Now, I asked you a question. How long has this been happening?”  
“You think I remember? At least five years.”  
“ _Five years?!_ ”  
Parrish shouted his same thought. This had been happening for _five years_? “That’s it. Who else knows about this?”

“Deputy Sylvester, Deputy Acker and Deputy Hilton.” The pride in Deputy Zigor’s tone left him fuming.  
“Right, well you can tell them you’re all fired.”  
Finally, he received a reaction other than smug cruelty and blatant apathy.  
“What?!”  
“You heard me. I won’t tolerate prejudice or abuse of power. I won’t tolerate your obvious disinterest in helping the people of this town.”  
“We help those who matter!”

“ _Everyone_ matters! Don’t you _dare_ say otherwise! I will _not_ have anyone in my department claim they don’t. You broke procedure. You broke rank, and if I had any proof you’d broken the law, which I’m sure you did, you’d be in handcuffs already. Now, pack your stuff and get out of my station.”

He took deep breaths to calm himself down, as the door to his office slammed shut. He was absolutely furious that he hadn’t known. He was furious that these so-called deputies had allowed this to go on for so long, and here he was, thinking the paperwork and coffee was risking his blood pressure.  
Parrish followed silently as he made his way out into the forefront of the station. He was on a warpath, and anyone who stood in his way would regret it.  
“Listen up.”

The deputies, who a second earlier had been staring at one another in shock, all snapped to attention. He was aware they had heard the yelling, and with four deputies abruptly clearing out their desks, they were understandably confused. It wasn’t over yet, though.

“If I _ever_ hear that someone’s failed to report an incident, or allowed someone to remain homeless again, there will be hell to pay.”  
All eyes widened at the realisation of what happened. They could not believe the severity of the situation. He took reassurance and relief in their shocked states. It assured him that not all of his deputies were like Deputy Zigor.

“Get back to work.”  
There was a rush of movement as the room erupted into organised chaos. Files sliding open, heads turning towards their computers, scurrying footsteps heading for the photocopier. Standing in his office, Parrish close on his heels, he dropped into his seat. Rubbing a hand over his eyes, he heard the soft click of the door closing, but he didn’t look up.

“This is a mess.” When he finally opened his eyes, Parrish looked as disheartened and angry as he felt. “How did this happen on my watch?”  
“It’s not your fault, Sheriff. You couldn’t have known. I didn’t, either. Deputy Zigor and the others deliberately kept it from us.”

“It was my _job_ to know. Anything could have happened to Theo over the years. You heard what Deputy Zigor said. It’s been five years. _At least_. That means he was homeless when hunters shot at his truck. He was homeless during the war. Hell, Theo was likely homeless since Liam brought him back. The danger he’s been in, and no one knew. No one who would have helped, that is.”

He needed to find Theo. The poor boy needed help and fast. More than anything, Theo deserved an apology. It would take a long time to make up for the suffering Theo had experienced due to his deputies. Especially, when Theo probably thought they were all the same. That they all knew.

If only he and Parrish had.


	5. Sheriff Stilinski

It was torture waiting until the next morning to speak to Theo. He’d tried last night, but he couldn’t find him. Parrish had worked three hours overtime, to cover the extensive search. After what happened, he didn’t trust the other deputies to be in charge. Not like he trusted Parrish. As regrettable as it was, he needed to make sure no one else had done something similar to Deputy Zigor. Sadly, he’d come up empty.

Despite looking all over town, he had seen no sign of Theo anywhere. Knowing Theo was out there, alone and cold, was heartbreaking. He hated that it happened, at all, let alone that no one had done anything to help.

It wasn’t until nearly midday that he finally located Theo. He was on the brink of madness, when that blessed (and cursed) truck came into view. Out by the creek within the Preserve. An overwhelming sense of sadness coursed through him, when he recognised the bridge. He didn’t know why Theo had come here. It surely didn’t hold any positive memories, so why come back? Why subject yourself to such heartache?

“Theo?” He approached slowly, afraid to spook the boy. Sitting on the bridge, legs dangling over the edge, Theo didn’t respond. As quiet as it was, he was surprised Theo didn’t appear to hear him. “Theo?”  
Okay, maybe he was wrong. The long sigh he received, suggested that he was simply being ignored.  
“What is it, Sheriff?”  
“We need to talk.”  
“About what?”

Just ease into it. Don’t frighten Theo away. “I spoke to Parrish.” Judging by the closed-off expression he saw, that wasn’t the best way to start.  
“You know. Great. I won’t park there again. You can go now.”  
“Actually, I can’t. Not when you’re still sleeping in your truck. Look, I’m-” He trailed off when Theo turned to face him, eyes alight with indignation. No one could deny that Theo was intimidating when he wanted to be.

“Don’t pretend like you suddenly care.”  
“Listen-”  
“No. I won’t sit here and listen to your lies. No one cared before, so why would it be any different now? Just because it was Parrish this time, doesn’t mean we need to ignore reality. The truth is, everyone at your Station was happy to leave me like this. No one cares that I live in my truck, so long as I don’t park in the wrong spot.”  
“Theo-”

“Just go back to the silent routine. I don’t need your pity or false help. I’m done talking about this.”  
With that, Theo stood up and walked away. No matter how many times he called, he didn’t get an answer. He wanted to help. He needed to get Theo out of this situation. There had to be a way to convince Theo he didn’t know.

There had to be something he could do.


	6. Stiles

Calm down. Just calm down.  
He felt like breaking something. He felt like breaking _everything_. The problem was, it wouldn’t suffice. It wouldn’t work with something small. It wouldn’t work with just anything. Right now, his sights were set on the dining table. He couldn’t go through with it, though. If he broke anything, _especially_ the table, he’d probably be grounded for a year.

“Stiles, I understand this is a shock, but you need to think rationally.”  
“Oh, I’m _rational_. Don’t expect me to sit by and accept this. I am well within my rights to be angry. How could we not know?!” He wanted to scream. Ever since his dad had told him about Theo, he couldn’t stop imagining it. He wanted to strangle Theo, when he thought about the fact Theo hadn’t said anything.

Okay, it might have been _somewhat_ understandable at the start, but not now. Not after they’d become friends. He would have offered Theo a place to stay. Even in the beginning. He might not have liked Theo, at first, but that didn’t mean he’d leave him on the street. He may not have chosen his own house as Theo’s new home, but he would have figured something out. Now, he would have dragged Theo home with him.

Then you had Liam. Theo could have told the beta and had a warm bed the same night. He still could. All Theo had to do was tell them, but no. That was apparently out of the question.

“I know how you feel, Stiles. I wanted to arrest every deputy responsible the moment I heard. I wanted to make sure they could never hurt someone like that, again. I couldn’t do it, though. I couldn’t let myself snap.”  
This was not... is this a joke? It had to be a joke. His dad couldn’t be saying what he thought he’d heard. “Please tell me you didn’t let them off with this?” His voice was tight. Bordering on a growl.

“Of course, not.” His dad was thankfully offended. Usually, he wouldn’t take relief in that, but right now, it meant this was as serious to his dad, as it was to him. “I fired them on the spot.”  
“Good. Serves them right. Now. Where is Theo?”

“I don’t know. I tried to talk to him at lunch, but he stormed off. He believes I knew about it all along. He won’t listen to me.”  
Well, that was about to change.  
“I’ll make him listen.”

Theo may not want to listen to his dad, but he’d be damned if he’d be ignored.

All he needed was to call in reinforcements.


	7. Stiles

Theo was ignoring him.  
He kept calling, and yet Theo wouldn’t answer. The only response he received, was a text to say Theo wanted to be left alone. He should respect that. It was fairly simple. Someone asks for space, you give it to them. You allow them to deal with whatever is happening.  
He wouldn’t rush Theo. Not if it was time that Theo needed. Not if it meant jeopardising the much valued privacy.

Unfortunately, he was rather bored in the meantime. Mason and Corey were on a date night, Scott and Malia were mending their own relationship, and the rest of the Pack were off on their own adventures.  
He had sadly been left to fend for himself.

Maybe he could find a movie to watch. There had to be one around here somewhere, that would keep him occupied. Just as he was mentally preparing himself to drag his tired body out of bed, the sound of a car pulling in, caught his attention.  
The Jeep.  
Why was Stiles here? Last he heard, Lydia and Stiles were heading to an art museum. Why did the plan change?

Wait. Theo wanting time. Stiles turning up unplanned. What if something happened? What if... what if Theo was in danger? What if Theo was hurt? A sudden thrum of energy shot through him. It filled his veins, removing any trace of boredom he had previously known. In a matter of seconds, he was downstairs and tearing the door open.  
Staring back at him in shock was Stiles.  
“Where is he?”  
“Who?”

“Where is he?!” He didn’t have time for this.  
“Liam... I don’t... what are you talking about?”  
His eyes must have flashed given the way Stiles jolted backwards, hands raised in surrender. “I won’t ask again. _Where_ is Theo?”  
The change was quick and immediate. A wave of instant anger. A flood of regret.

“You know.”  
“Know _what_?”  
“About Theo’s so-called living situation.”  
So, that’s why he’d gotten that text. That’s why Theo refused to meet. Something was wrong with his house. It must have been big to cause all of this. To pull Stiles here.  
“How bad is it?”  
“You have to ask?”

He didn’t understand why Stiles sounded offended and insulted. How could he have known, if no one had told him?  
“Just _tell_ me.” His eyes narrowed further at that aggrieved scoff. He was this close to losing his temper completely. How dare Stiles treat him like he was in the wrong? Someone needed to fill him in, and they needed to do it now.

“I’d call being homeless fairly terrible.”

His heart stopped. Just like that, the wind was knocked out of him. Breath returning with a hitch, his chest shuddered from the effort to control it. It was so much worse than he’d thought.  
“How? I mean- what happened?”  
“What do you _think_ happened, Liam? Being homeless is pretty self explanatory.”

He was beginning to understand Theo’s murderous tendencies. If he didn’t get a straight answer soon, he might explode. “How _exactly_ am I supposed to know? The last I knew, Theo had a perfectly good house. Now you’re telling me it’s gone? _What the heck happened_?”

Finally, the anger and sense of injustice disappeared. Instead, he was met with sympathy. Oh, he wasn’t going to like this.  
“You don’t know.”  
“Know _what?! What_ don’t I know?”

“Liam... Theo never had a house. He’s been homeless since you released him from hell.”  
No. No, that- that can’t be...

“But, that was five years ago.” His voice was a shell of its usual strength. How could he have missed that? It all made sense, now. The comments he’d picked up on. The unease any time he suggested going to Theo’s. The reason Theo chose ‘shelter’ as one of the meanings for his tattoo. It was all right there in front of him. It was literally staring him in the face, and he’d missed it.

“My dad tried to talk to Theo, but he ran off.”  
“Why would he do that? If your dad was offering to help, why would Theo leave?”  
Stiles appeared unsure of whether or not to continue. In the end, he waited for the reluctant sigh to run its course, before receiving an answer.

“He didn’t believe it was real. He didn’t believe dad really wanted to assist him. Liam... I need you to stay calm.”

Oh, no. Not happening.  
“Stiles, you can’t say that, and then expect me to do it. Any conversation that starts like that, is a recipe for disaster, and _of course_ , that will freak me out.”  
“Look, I’m only telling you this because you need to know. You can’t have an episode, though. I mean it, Liam. It won’t help anything.” Clearly, Stiles wasn’t going to budge. Not without his explicit agreement.  
Anything that got him a proper explanation, was worth it.

“I swear. I won’t freak out. Now, _please_ Stiles. What is it?”  
“Okay, look. Theo didn’t believe dad because some of the deputies already knew.”  
A huff of air escaped; the hint of a hallow laugh lacing the furious sound. “I’m sorry. They _knew_?”

He was going to lose it. His temper was at its peak, and he had no way of defusing it. When he saw them, the deputies would regret it. He didn’t care what they did. He didn’t care if he was arrested. Theo deserved justice, and he would ensure it was served.  
“A few, but not many. Parrish found out last night. That’s how dad realised. Don’t worry, Liam. I assure you. The deputies responsible were fired. They won’t be able to do this to anyone else, again.”

Stiles’ words went in one ear and out the other. His mind kept replaying the same thought.  
 _Theo was homeless_.  
He’d deal with the deputy situation later. All that mattered now, is that he found Theo. He didn’t stop. Not even when Stiles kept calling him. Climbing into the passenger seat of the Jeep, he waited, arms crossed, for Stiles to follow his lead. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Stiles to get the hint. As they pulled onto the street, anger settled in his chest. Unbridled anger. Both at the deputies and Theo.

The deputies were one thing, but Theo hadn’t told them, either. If Theo thought he’d let that go, he could think again.


	8. Liam

They were all here.

After leaving his house, he made Stiles stop to pick up Scott. Unlike how he found out, he was frank in his information. He hadn’t waited for the Jeep to pull to a stop, before jumping out and storming over to the front door. When it opened, he saw a confused Scott, who only had enough time to say, “Liam, what are you-”, before he cut in.  
“Theo’s homeless. He has been since the start.”

Direct and to the point. Without waiting for a response and ignoring the wide eyes, he made his way back to the Jeep. Within moments, Scott and Malia were in the back seat. Stiles filled them in on the way, and they were just as upset and angry as he was.

It didn’t take them long to form a plan. After driving around aimlessly, with nothing to show for their efforts, they decided to split up. The town itself had quickly been ruled out. The Sheriff and Parrish had been searching, as well, but came up empty handed. That left somewhere along the road out of town and the Preserve.

Just _wait_ until he finds Theo. How _dare_ Theo not tell him? How could Theo not tell _anyone_? For _five years_? All he could say is that Theo better have a good excuse.  
An hour later, and they had effectively ruled out the road. The truck had to be parked somewhere out of sight. Somewhere covered by an array of trees. It was the only option left. There was no telling how far into the Preserve Theo had gone. Theo better enjoy the alone time, because once he found him, there would be nowhere to hide.

The only sight for miles were trees. Everywhere he looked. Light trickled through, but was soon lost to the heavy canopies. The further in he went, the thicker they became. A musty smell permeated the early afternoon air; it spoke of the damp ground and leaves lost to the decay.

The longer this went on, the more irritable he became. The more irritable he was, the worse this would be for Theo. He wasn’t in a particularly forgiving mood, and Theo would feel the brunt of that. Tired and hungry, he wanted to turn back and put an end to this continuous walking, but he couldn’t. Not without Theo. Not without an answer.

It wasn’t until nearly four o’clock, that he finally caught sight of the familiar blue truck. It came into view a few minutes after he located Theo’s scent.  
Texting his location to the others, he stormed over and peered into the truck. There, curled up on the back seat, was Theo. Shoulders hunched in on themselves. Breath laboured. Light twitches trailing through Theo’s body.  
All the signs of a nightmare.

Knocking on the window had no effect. He hit the glass harder, but still nothing. You’d think someone with supernatural hearing would have woken up by now, but he’d seen Theo’s nightmares first-hand. This wasn’t the first, and it likely wouldn’t be the last. Each one seemed to pull Theo deeper, dragging him beyond reach.

There had been times where nothing appeared to work. He’d had moments where he feared there was nothing he could do. Those were by far the worse, as he felt completely hopeless. If he were honest, seeing Theo like this muted his anger.

Don’t get him wrong. He was still furious, but he was also worried and empathetic. It was heartbreaking seeing Theo in this much pain. Of course, Theo didn’t have to deal with it alone. If they had known, they could have been there to help.

“Theo!”  
It felt like an eternity before Theo finally woke up. Jolting upright, eyes wide and frantic, Theo was utterly terrified. It hurt to see Theo like this again. What hurt the most, though, were the tear streaks. Both cheeks were lined with fresh tracks. He didn’t know what the nightmare was about, but it must have been bad.

Once Theo had calmed down enough to register his surroundings, only now noticing his presence, he watched in renewed anger as Theo’s old walls came up. He thought they were passed this. He thought they’d broken through Theo’s insecurities about being vulnerable.

Clearly, there were still some lingering doubts.

He stood there, arms crossed, until it became clear he wasn’t going anywhere. Give him some credit. He hadn’t come all this way, only to be turned around now. Reluctantly, the door was unlocked, and in the blink of an eye, he was moving. Having pulled the door open, (hard enough to hear the hinges groan in protest), he’d grabbed ahold of Theo’s shirt before he could think.

A second later, he’d hauled Theo out and into the open. Letting go, Theo stumbled and barely avoided a hard collision with the dirt. Picking himself up, Theo levelled him with a glare. He really couldn’t care less. Not when you considered where they were. Not when you considered why they were here.  
“What the heck, Liam?”  
“How _dare_ you?!”

“Did you knock your head or something?”  
He made no attempt to hide his growl. It slipped passed his lips easily; nothing blocking its existence. “ _Don’t_ you _dare_ insult me.”  
“Well, I wouldn’t have to, if you didn’t just drag me out of my truck.” Theo retorted without pause.

“You _asshole!_ How could you not tell us that you’re _homeless?!_ ”  
Theo’s eyes closed, and he could hear the deep breaths. He saw the claws piercing Theo’s fingernails. He saw the way they retracted seconds before piercing skin. The pure anxiety and resentment in those green eyes as they opened was unsettling.  
“The Sheriff told you.”  
“It should have been _you_! _You_ should have told us!”  
“It doesn’t matter.”

“Doesn’t-” Oh, hell no. He wouldn’t stand here, and listen to Theo claim it didn’t mean anything. That being homeless wasn’t important. “You’re living in your truck, Theo. How can that not _matter?_ How can you have stayed in this situation? How can you spend _five years_ on the street, and act like everything’s _okay?!_ ”  
“I never said that! I never said anything is okay. _Nothing_ is okay! You think I _want_ this? You think I _want_ to be like this? I just want to be _free_! _I don’t deserve this!_ ”  
“Of course, you don’t! It’s your fault, though, Theo. If we had known-”

Theo screamed. Every word was filled with raw emotion. Every word struck hard. “They _did_ know! Liam, they _knew._ Every single deputy. Every single person at the station. Including Parrish. Including the _Sheriff_.” Theo broke off, swallowing and releasing a shaky breath, before continuing quietly. “They knew, Liam. They all knew.”

Just like with the nightmare, he felt sorry for Theo. He realised now, just how much Theo truely believed he had been cast out. That no one cared. It wasn’t a simple matter of pride. It wasn’t just the desire to hide his vulnerability. The insecurities. It was more than that. It was about the fact Theo thought his homelessness meant nothing to them.  
“They didn’t, Theo. Not all of them. There were only four involved. The four you saw. The same four deputies who have since been fired. Theo, Parrish didn’t know. Nor did the Sheriff.”

“Don’t lie to me! Don’t _lie_ to me, Liam!”  
“I swear, Theo. Parrish only found last night. When he found you, he told the Sheriff who fired everyone responsible. The Sheriff told Stiles, and Stiles told me. I know everything. I know how they woke you up. How they made you move on. I know how you weren’t offered any help. How they didn’t _do anything._ I know, Theo, and I’m sorry.”

A flicker of doubt crossed those beautiful green eyes. Those which held such light, such wonder on a good day. When Theo was happy, it was like looking into a work of art. Right now, there was a hint of hope. The hope that it was true. That he hadn’t been abandoned by the entire Pack. By his friends.  
“You’re telling the truth.”

The whispered acknowledgment drew a sigh from him. “We would have gotten you out. We would have freed you. We could have helped find you a place to live. A home.”  
“I can’t... I couldn’t... I didn’t want to admit it. I didn’t want to be seen in that position. Completely and utterly helpless. You don’t know how that feels, Liam. You don’t understand what it’s like to spend every night afraid. To wonder if tonight’s the night someone comes for you. I just... I couldn’t admit it. Not out loud.”

“I can’t imagine what that felt like. I can’t begin to understand that, but I can try. Scott and Mason would have. Stiles would have. The Pack would have done anything to change it.”  
“It wouldn’t have fixed anything.”  
How could Theo be so oblivious? How could he be sympathetic one second and furious the next? “How can you _say_ that? You said it yourself. You didn’t deserve this, so then _why_ would you not help yourself? I told you we would have helped.”

For all the honesty he’d been shown during their conversation, Theo shut down just as easily. It wasn’t hard to tell that was all he’d get. Not if Theo got his way. Luckily, he didn’t plan on accepting anything less than saving Theo.

“I’m done.”  
“Excuse me?” What was that supposed to mean?  
“I’m through discussing how messed up my life is. I’m done talking about it. It’s painful, it hurts, and that’s it. No more. I’m done.”  
Yeah, not happening.  
“Over my dead body.”  
“Liam-”  
“Don’t you _dare_ say that. This is _not_ over.” Instead of answering, Theo merely turned and walked away. A deathly growl tore from his chest. “Where do think you’re going?”  
“Back to my truck, so I can sleep.”  
“Oh, no you’re not. You’re not staying there.”  
Theo scoffed. “What do you suggest I do?”  
“Move back in with me. Permanently.”

That definitely got a reaction. Theo spun around so fast, he felt like he had whiplash just watching. It was almost funny how shocked Theo was. If he weren’t so angry, he might’ve laughed.  
“Why would I do that?”  
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe so you have a roof over your head? One that’s not made of metal?”  
“No.”  
“You’re coming with me, Theo.”  
“I _said_ no.” Theo bit back.  
It wouldn’t stop him. No matter what Theo said or did, he _would_ get his way. He, for one, had no intention of backing down.  
“I wasn’t asking.”  
“You can’t tell me what to do, Liam.”  
“I can when you’re being an idiot.”

Theo’s eyes flashed. “ _Don’t_ call me that.”  
“Stop acting like one, and I will.”  
“You saw what happened last time. I’m not going to fight with you, again.”  
Oh, for the...

“That won’t happen, this time! I’m not going to make a stupid comment like I did, then. Unlike you however, I’m actually trying to change. I’m thinking about what I say, first. I’m being careful that I don’t hurt you. You, on the other hand, are willing to stay here.” The way Theo crossed his arms defensively was a greater irritation than he would have thought possible. To him, it meant nothing he said was getting through. It meant he was failing. Well. He wouldn’t allow that.

“I won’t risk our friendship, Liam. I won’t lose you. I _can’t_ lose you.”

“You’re not going to _lose me_ , Theo. Seriously. How long will it take to convince you that I’m not leaving?”  
Before Theo could speak, they heard footsteps approaching. Three people were close by. It was about time. Clearly, Theo noticed too, judging by the loud groan from beside him. Scott, Stiles and Malia stormed through the line of trees, and it was fair to say, they weren’t happy.

“Seriously? You too?” Theo might have said more, but Stiles didn’t give him a chance. Instead of stopping like Scott and Malia did, Stiles kept walking until he was standing directly in front of Theo. The punch was so sudden, he didn’t even see it coming. Nor did Theo, who cupped a hand over his nose. Bleeding and cracked.  
“What was that for?!”  
“How _dare_ you not tell us?!”  
Theo narrowed his gaze; which again, had he not been so angry, he would have laughed. With his nose still healing, Theo’s voice came out high-pitched and just a little squeaky. That, combined with the attempted glare, was adorable. Right now however, he was thinking about punching Theo himself.

“I’ve already been through this with Liam. I’m not doing it again.” Theo broke off for a moment, eyeing Stiles uncertainly. “Why do you have your bat?”  
Stiles rolled his eyes. He already knew the answer. Stiles also had a bag of supplies slung over his shoulder. Anything that might be helpful. Anything that could protect them. There were also a few items they’d packed, just in case this didn’t go their way.

“We’re in the middle of the Preserve, who knows where, with no knowledge of what might be out here. I’m not taking any chances.”  
Theo didn’t respond. Instead, Stiles received an aggrieved huff.

“We’re your friends, Theo.” Scott snapped. He wasn’t used to seeing this side of Scott. Having thought these doubts had been managed, it was frustrating to realise Theo had been hiding an enormous secret the entire time. “We could have-”  
“Just leave me alone.”

“There is no way that’s happening. So, get moving.” Malia matched Theo’s glare perfectly, but with it’s true effect, in tact.  
“I’m not a child. You can’t order me around.”  
You know what? No more. He was done restraining himself. A second later, and Theo was holding his newly broken nose. It just so happened to be the same moment it finished healing from Stiles’ attack. Even better.

“ _Liam!”_  
“I told you. If you want to act like an idiot, I’ll treat you like one. If you don’t want to be punched all the time, then start taking responsibility for your stupidity.”  
“He’s not the only one.” Malia voiced without blinking. There was no hesitation. No consideration. “Don’t think for a moment, that I won’t kick your ass myself.”

There was no doubt in his mind, that she would follow through on the threat. Scott, who by now, would have usually lectured all of them on ‘ethics’, remained silent. This was apparently Scott’s limit, and Theo had passed it.

He truely believed he, Stiles and Malia could do (almost) anything, and not receive a word of disagreement from Scott. Not if it meant convincing the stubborn Chimera to help himself.

“I’m tired, and I just want to sleep. Leave me alone.”  
This calls for drastic measures.  
“Stiles. Give me the bat.” It was in his hand a second later, and he watched Theo take a sharp step back.  
“Liam. Take a breath. Be reasonable.” Hands raised, Theo spoke softly. He didn’t care. He wouldn’t calm down. He wouldn’t be talked out of this. “Oh, come on. Don’t you think this is a bit much?”

Clearly, Theo thought the bat was for him. It might come as a shock, but he had other plans in mind. Ones that didn’t involve assaulting Theo. As much as he might want to, right now, he wasn’t an ass. He strode forward, passing Theo entirely. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the furrowed eyebrows. He could practically hear the gears turning, as Theo tried to understand. It took all of a few seconds, for Theo’s confusion to be replaced by a look of absolute horror.

“Don’t you _dare_.”  
He didn’t listen. Didn’t stop. He kept walking until he was a couple of steps away from the truck. All eyes were on him, as he raised the bat above his shoulder.  
“ _Liam!_ ”  
Two hands, and swing.  
“Stop! Liam, please just stop!”  
Casting a brief withering glance at Theo, he spoke. Level and clear. “I’m not letting you stay here. If that means breaking your truck, then so be it.”  
Swing and release.  
“ _No!_ Liam, _you can’t!_ ” Theo was wide eyed and frantic. “ _Please!_

He didn’t stop. Instead, he swung the bat forward. His first target? The back window. The rest would follow shortly after. When he was done with it, it would be almost unrecognisable.  
“It’s one of the only things I own!”  
He stopped short of shattering the glass; the bat resting a close two inches away from impact. Turning back, he saw the distress. The blatant panic that marred Theo’s features. He saw how scared Theo was.  
“Liam, _please_. I’m _begging_ you. Don’t do this.”

He took a deep breath to relax. Okay, so maybe he was a little rash. It might have been a little harsh to take out his anger on Theo’s truck. Especially, knowing how much Theo cared about it. At least now, he knew why Theo always acted as if it cost a fortune. The danger one would be in, if they so much as scratched it. The attention to detail.  
He finally had an answer as to why it was so important to Theo. He just wished it was for a different reason.  
“Okay. I’ll stop.”

Theo visibly relaxed. Sighing, in what could only be described as utter relief, Theo closed his eyes momentarily. When they opened again... well. There were no words to describe what he saw. To say they were filled with comfort, with gratitude, didn’t come close to the truth. It was much more than that.  
“You’re coming home with us.”  
Unfortunately, the peace came to an abrupt halt when he spoke. He wasn’t trying to. It wasn’t supposed to. He honestly thought Theo had finally come around, but sadly, that wasn’t the case.

“Liam, I can’t ask that of you. I can’t ask that of Jenna and David. It’s too much.”  
“You’re not asking. I’m offering, and you know Mum and Dad would never say no. They love you, and even if they didn’t, they wouldn’t turn you away. Not given the circumstances.

“I don’t want to impose.”  
This was so much harder than it needed to be.  
“Theo, Mum would love you staying with us. She’s been talking about it since you left. I was seriously concerned Mum might ground me for life, after she realised what I said. She loves you, and anyone who messes with you, has to answer to her if she had her way, you’d have moved in during the second curse.”  
Theo seemed unsure, the lower lip pulled between two teeth. It was a nervous tick he’d become used to seeing, and it could mean Theo was on the verge of agreeing. It could mean this was finally over... or not.  
“I’m sorry. I just can’t.”

He’s done. He was so _done_ with this _shit_.  
“Stiles, give me the chains.”  
He ignored Theo’s confusion. In fact, he didn’t even look at Theo. Not until he was ready. Not when it could risk revealing the plan too early. Not when Theo could run.  
Stiles removed them from the bag, and once he had hold of them, he finally looked at Theo. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t wait. He was through listening to Theo’s excuses. It was time to end this. Ignoring Theo’s raised eyebrow, he grabbed Theo’s arms and begun binding them with the chain.

“What are you doing?” Theo hissed.  
“Not taking no for an answer.”  
The struggle Theo put up was useless. When he was this riled up, there was no stopping him. He ignored all of it and continued tying the chain. Pulling the final knot closed, he took hold of the other end.  
“Liam, it’s too tight.”  
“I honestly don’t care, right now.”  
“It’s cutting into my wrists!”  
“You made me do this.”  
“ _Liam!_ ”  
He wouldn’t give into the pleas. He wouldn’t allow Theo to talk his way out of this.

“Let me go.” Theo really needed to stop growling. It wasn’t doing any good. It wasn’t going to change his mind.  
“No.”  
“Scott! _Do_ something!”  
Scott refused to budge. “Not this time.”  
“ _Scott_.”  
“I’m on Liam’s side, Theo. You’re not staying here, and that’s final. If this is the only way to get you home, then that’s what we’ll do.”Without waiting for another complaint, which he _knew_ would come, he tugged on the chain. It might have been a little hard, or it could be that he caught Theo off guard, because the chimera stumbled forward.

“Let’s go.”  
The next twenty minutes were spent ignoring Theo’s constant grumbling and protests. Even now, Theo couldn’t make this easy. It was one complaint after another. It was useless. All it did was make him pull harder.  
“ _Slow down_ , Liam.”

“Give it a rest.” He was so tired of listening to this. A little peace and quiet. That’s all he asked for. It really wasn’t that much. Unless you’re talking about Theo, of course.  
“I can barely keep up with you.”  
“Oh, you’re fine.”  
“I’ve been tripping over roots and rocks this entire time! You may as well be trying to pull my _arm_ off, given the amount of _force_ you’re using.”  
“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you really whining about a little force?”

Theo growled when he tugged on the chains again. If he were honest, knowing Theo was unhappy about his current predicament, was satisfying. Not that he wanted to hurt Theo, of course. He just wanted to know that Theo wasn’t going to run. He wanted to ensure that Theo would stay. Okay, and _maybe_ he let his anger out by irritating Theo.

“Scott, will you _please_ tell your beta to stop?”  
“This is between you you and Liam. I’m not getting involved in whatever this is. Just do what he says.” Scott shut down any attempt of gaining his sympathies, immediately. The rant didn’t end there, either. Quite the opposite, actually. Scott was just getting started.  
“Do you have any idea how dangerous this was? Do you have any idea what could have happened?”

“Of course, I do, Scott! I’ve been avoiding hunters since it started! I’ve been avoiding the deputies and the Pack! I’ve been kidnapped before! I know _exactly_ what there is to fear.”

That caught all of their attention. It wasn’t something you state casually. Being kidnapped whilst homeless and not telling anyone, isn’t something you make light of.  
“You were _what?_ ” His voice was practically subhuman. The wolf within straining to be heard. His claws were visible, and right now, there was no possibility of withdrawing them. He didn’t have the control needed. Nor did he have the desire.  
He was livid.

“Liam-”  
“ _No_. Don’t you _dare_ downplay this. When were you kidnapped?”  
“It was years ago. I let my guard slip. That’s all. I haven’t made that mistake again.”  
“You let your guard down _today!_ I could barely wake you up! You were so deep in your ni-” He broke off suddenly, catching track of his words at the last second. Taking a deep breath, he noticed Theo’s wide eyes. The open anxiety. Theo’s nightmares were something they never talked about. Not when other people were around.

They were personal and sensitive, and something Theo wasn’t prepared to talk about. Not with the entire Pack. Thank goodness he caught himself in time. He was aware of three sets of eyes on them, but he wasn’t concerned about their confusion. “All I’m saying is that you don’t know when something might happen. If you’re attacked when you’re sleeping...”

“I’m fine, Liam.” Theo whispered. It was clear that Theo was rattled, by the fact he had nearly revealed such an important secret. If this were any other time, he’d have gone easy on Theo. If this were any other time, he might have left it there, but it wasn’t. This wasn’t any other time, and Theo needed to understand that.  
“You are _not_ fine! Theo, you were _kidnapped!_ What part of this don’t you get? How can you be so dismissive?”

They’d stopped moving at this point, and Theo glared at him. Arms crossed, Theo huffed. “I know it’s bad, Liam. I was there. I don’t know about you, but I’m not particularly fond of being tortured.”  
“Then, stop being an idiot. Stop trying to fight us. Just accept that you’re moving in with me.”  
“I can’t-”

“Then, stop being an idiot. Stop trying to fight us, and just accept that you’re moving in with me.”  
“I can’t-”  
Oh, that does it. The crack sounded suddenly; sharp and unforgiving. Bones weren’t known for being a merciful structure. They offered no flexibility. No leeway. Which is why Theo was now holding his bloodied and broken nose. Again.  
“ _Damn it_ , Liam. What was that for?!”  
“I told you to stop being an idiot. So, what do you do? You make another stupid comment. I’m not going to listen to you refuse, Theo. This is happening, whether you like it or not.”

He cut Theo off before he could be interrupted. “I’ll ask you again, and I expect an answer this time. _When_ were you kidnapped?”  
No one spoke, at first. Theo remained silent. Refusing to even look at him. He was at the end of his rope, patience worn thin. If he didn’t receive an answer in the next five seconds, he’d...  
“When we were fighting the hunters.”  
“ _That long ago?!_ ” He seriously wanted to strangle Theo. He really needed to knock some sense into him. Every time he thought it couldn’t get any worse, something like this happened.  
“I got out of it. I’m fine.”

“Who was it?”  
“Schrader.” Theo muttered, looking at the ground. This wasn’t a fun topic to relive, and for that, he was sorry, but they needed to know.  
“Why didn’t you tell us?!”  
“I told you.” Theo looked up, frustrated. “I dealt with it. I’m here. I’m okay. Really.”  
The sad part was Theo believed that. Despite knowing he didn’t deserve to be homeless, Theo honestly believed he was okay. That he was surviving, and to Theo, that was enough.

“It’s not enough to just survive, Theo. You can have so much more. You have us. You have a Pack. You need to start trusting us. You need to let us in.”  
“I do.” Theo seemed to deflate. Any trace of defiance was gone; replaced by tired resignation. “I _do_ trust you. All of you.”  
It was Scott who replied, this time. Just as passionate. Just as desperate to make Theo see reason. “Then, why didn’t you let us help you?”  
He wasn’t sure he’d like what came next. Not when Theo bit his lip, before releasing a shaky breath. That never meant anything good.

“I wanted to. You have no idea how much I wanted to. There was one point where I nearly did. I almost called you, Scott. The day I was kidnapped.”  
They were all shocked, but it was worse for Scott. Knowing you were the one who could have prevented that from happening, that you could have protected Theo... Knowing that you were the one Theo tried to call... it was an enormous weight. A terrible feeling, and one he didn’t want to know. He wished Scott didn’t have to, either.

“What?” Scott croaked.  
“I wanted to call, but I didn’t think I should. I didn’t deserve your help. Not after how I treated you. After I killed you. I wanted help, but I couldn’t ask you. When it started getting better between us; between me and the Pack... I didn’t want anyone to know. I didn’t want to be seen as weak. I didn’t want anyone to know how far I’d fallen. I wanted to be free of it. Of course, I did. I know I don’t deserve to be homeless, but I didn’t want the Pack to know.”

“You can’t always help yourself, Theo. Sometimes, you need _help_. That’s why we’re here. You didn’t need to be alone in this. Especially, when those deputies ignored your situation.”

“You better not be hiding anything else.” Malia announced. It sounded like another threat was coming. It might not work, but hopefully they could finally convince Theo how much they cared. He wasn’t expecting what Malia said next, though. “If you do, I’ll finally have an excuse to punch you without listening to complaints about it being wrong.”

They all looked at her in surprise. There, as clear as day, was a smirk. He had no doubt Malia meant every word. That much was obvious. He was however, surprised to see her joking. He’d thought her anger would take the lead, but apparently she knew when to ease up.

“Even Scott didn’t complain when Liam and Stiles broke your nose. He won’t care if I join in.”  
Theo snorted at that. He sighed inwardly at the small smile. It lit Theo’s eyes, and left his heart racing.  
“I don’t doubt you’d enjoy it, but I’d rather not have another broken nose. Three is more than enough. I _really_ don’t need another reminder.”

“Then, listen to Liam. Stop being an idiot, and get moving.”  
Theo snorted again. “You do realise my truck’s the other way, right?”  
“You can come back for it. We’re taking Stiles’ Jeep.” He smiled at Theo’s groan. He might have agreed not to damage the truck, but he _could_ revoke Theo’s access to it. Who knows? It might even do Theo some good. “Consider this the consequence for waiting five years to tell us.”

“Can you _at least_ remove the chains?”  
“No.”  
This was going to be a long ride back, and while he might not be quite as angry, he wasn’t prepared to let Theo off the hook, either.

Not until he knew Theo understood why.


	9. Theo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to explore chapter 8 from Theo’s POV. I just had to write it. Here’s hoping y’all enjoy it, as much as I did. 🤞😄

He couldn’t face Liam. Not after the confrontation with the Sheriff. The memory of their conversation was still fresh in his mind. It was ridiculous to think he would be foolish enough to believe the Sheriff _actually_ wanted to help. It had been five years, and _now_ they wanted to help him?  
Yeah, right.

Wishing something were true, didn’t make him a fool. He knew the difference between a dream and reality.

After fleeing the bridge, he needed to get away. To find somewhere he wouldn’t be disturbed. Somewhere hidden and safe from prying eyes. It was the same reason he’d gone to the bridge. Every now and then, he wanted to remember. Not that he could forget. When he was at the bridge, it was like he was there. It was as though he were back there, on the day of Tara’s death.

He could see her floating; skin blue from the cold. He could hear her desperate pleas. In a way, he was punishing himself, but it was more than that. It was a way of connecting to Tara. Returning to the last place he’d seen her. The last place she’d been alive. The last time he was human.

It grounded him. It gave him somewhere to go when he needed to be alone. When he needed to talk. It gave him the chance to apologise to Tara. Even if she couldn’t hear; even if he didn’t receive an answer, it was just something he needed to do.

Of course, he didn’t expect the Sheriff to show up. Apparently, no place was sacred. Not when it came to him. It was why he was now deep in the Preserve. Deeper than he’d ever been. He didn’t think any of the Pack had been this far out. It was that belief that led him here. He was counting on the hope no one would find him here.

What he needed was a couple of days to himself. No interruptions. No questions. No lies. He just needed time to breathe and recoup. To rest, and _hopefully_ , sleep in peace.

Today just wasn’t his day, though.

Curling up on the back seat, he sighed as he tried to make himself comfortable. It didn’t seem to matter, though. No matter how much he tried, nothing worked. Sighing, he gave up, and just accepted the least painful position. Finally, he fell asleep. Peaceful, at first. Nothing but darkness. A pure and utter black void.

Then, it all changed. Trees grew around him. The sky appeared, only to be drowned out by the endless leaves. There was no morgue. No Tara. No heartless chest. No, this time it was a replica of the Preserve. He stood in front of his truck. Alone. The emptiness overwhelming. He blinked, and Liam was there. Smiling. Laughing.

The words ‘I knew’, sounded loud and suffocating in the quiet air. His chest ached; heart torn open. It was as if a knife had been lodged deep within his chest, and someone was twisting. Once. Twice. Three times.  
‘I knew.’ I knew.’ _‘I knew.’_

Suddenly, the world shattered. Blue and green pieces fell around him; all sound disappeared in an instant. Breath rapid, he couldn’t breathe. It was just a nightmare. It was all a nightmare. Liam wasn’t there. Liam didn’t know.

Liam didn’t laugh.

Tears ran down his cheeks. Fresh and unheeded. Streams of emotion coursing through him. It was so much worse than any nightmare he’d had before. It was worse than being chased by Tara. Worse than having his heart torn out. Over and over again. This opened a gaping hole in his chest, and it wouldn’t close. It wouldn’t heal.

It was the very reason he didn’t want to tell the Pack. The reason he _couldn’t_ tell Liam. He was terrified that they wouldn’t care. That Liam wouldn’t care. He could survive being homeless. He’d done so for years. He could survive that, but he wouldn’t survive hearing that laugh.

Not over this.

He didn’t know how long it took to calm down, to regain his senses, but he did... and he regretted it, immediately. Standing outside his truck, was Liam. No. It was a nightmare. It wasn’t real. It wasn’t... Liam didn’t laugh. Liam wouldn’t... He _knew_ that. Deep down, he knew Liam would _never_ laugh. Despite that, the fear took hold.

It ran rampant, and refused to let him hold onto that knowledge. It controlled his every move; his every thought. He was powerless to its commands. He was helpless to obey its every whim.

The only way he knew to protect himself; to prevent people from seeing too much, was to shut down. His feelings, his insecurities, his fears... they were all safely stored out of reach. Out of sight.

Despite that, Liam didn’t move. Didn’t even budge. He should have known better than to think Liam would just leave. Liam would never leave. Not without an answer. Not without being satisfied. Whatever led Liam here in the first place, needed to be obtained before he could be left alone.

Giving into the inevitable, he unlatched the door. He didn’t have a chance to do more than that, because before he knew what was happening, a hand was on his shirt, dragging him out. He barely had enough time to catch himself, hands just bracing his fall, before he hit the ground completely. He was _not_ impressed with being unceremoniously hauled from his truck.

Standing up, he glared at Liam, who didn’t so much as flinch. He refused to be intimidated. He refused to be treated like this. Just because he was homeless, didn’t mean Liam could throw him into the ground whenever he felt like it.  
“What the heck, Liam?”  
“How _dare_ you?!”  
“Did you knock your head or something?”  
“ _Don’t_ you _dare_ insult me.”  
Oh, wow. Liam was growling. As if that would deter him. “Well, I wouldn’t have to, if you didn’t just drag me out of my truck.”

“You _asshole!_ How could you not tell us that you’re _homeless?!_ ”  
He closed his eyes, and took a string of deep breaths. His claws protruded from his fingernails, and they were millimetres away from piercing the skin of his palm, but with great restraint, he withdrew them before they cut. As annoyed as he was right now, he made a promise to Liam. He promised he wouldn’t hurt himself, no matter how small, and he intended to keep it.

He should have known that’s why Liam was here. There was no other reason for the beta to be out this far. Especially, on the same day he was. Not to mention, it was the same day he’d spoken to the Sheriff.

“The Sheriff told you.” He couldn’t hide the resentment. The bitterness at being outed. No one had cared over the past five years. So, why did they have to reveal his situation, now? If they didn’t plan on helping him, why did everyone need to know?

“It should have been _you!_ _You_ should have told us!”  
What would be the point? It’s not like it would change anything. This was how his life was. He was lucky. He had the Pack. He had Liam. Malia and Stiles weren’t actively trying to destroy him anymore. They were no longer intent on making him suffer. That, in and of itself, was more than he could ask for. It was just too much to expect this to change, as well.

“It doesn’t matter.”  
“Doesn’t-” Liam broke off suddenly, eyes flashing for a split second. It was just long enough for him to see the true extent of Liam’s anger. He didn’t understand why Liam was so worked up. Okay, maybe being homeless wasn’t pleasant, but what was he supposed to do? “You’re living in your truck, Theo. How can that not _matter?_ How can you have stayed in this situation? How can you spend _five years_ on the street, and act like everything’s _okay?!_ ”

“I never said that!” He wouldn’t let anyone act like he had. He was not okay, and he wouldn’t have anyone claim that he thought he was. He might not be able to change his situation, but that didn’t mean he liked it. “I never said anything is okay. _Nothing_ is okay! You think I _want_ this? You think I _want_ to be like this? I just want to be _free!_ _I don’t deserve this!_ ”

“Of course, you don’t! It’s your fault, though, Theo. If we had known-”  
He screamed. Every emotion, every thought he’d had since Liam arrived was released. He couldn’t hold it back anymore. The pain. The despair. The abandonment. It was all there. It was in every word. Every shout. Every second. He let it all out for the first time in five years. “They _did_ know! Liam, they _knew_. Every single deputy. Every single person at the station. Including Parrish. Including the _Sheriff_.”

He broke off, swallowing. It suddenly hit how much he was about to reveal. How much he _had_ revealed. He released a shaky breath, trying to regain some degree of composure. When he finally continued, his voice was quiet. “They knew, Liam. They all knew.”

Something shifted in Liam’s gaze. The anger that looked ready to explode at any minute, settled into what could only be described as sympathy. He didn’t want it. He’d never wanted pity or people feeing sorry for him. Not like this. It was different to when the Pack understood his pain.

It was different to the times when Liam had helped him through his fear. When he’d had someone to lean on. This was different, because no one wanted to do anything. No one wanted to free him from this agonising loneliness.

“They didn’t, Theo. Not all of them. There were only four involved. The four you saw. The same four deputies who have since been fired. Theo, Parrish didn’t know. Nor did the Sheriff.”

Did they all think he was stupid? First, the Sheriff, and now Liam. He didn’t fall for the act then, and he wouldn’t fall for it, now.  
“Don’t lie to me! Don’t _lie_ to me, Liam!”  
“I swear, Theo. Parrish only found out last night. When he found you, he told the Sheriff who fired everyone responsible. The Sheriff told Stiles, and Stiles told me. I know everything. I know how they woke you up. How they made you move on. I know how you weren’t offered any help. How they didn’t _do anything_. I know, Theo, and I’m sorry.”

For a moment, he gave into the doubt. He gave into the hope. He shouldn’t. It couldn’t lead to anything good. Could it? It couldn’t be true. After all these years... had he really been wrong? Had the Sheriff really not known? Had Parrish really been trying to help? If it were true, it meant he hadn’t been abandoned. It meant the Pack cared. It meant his friends cared. That they really did want to free him from this state.

“You’re telling the truth.” It was whispered, but he couldn’t find the strength for more than that. It felt like voicing it too loud, would make it disappear. As if his fears from all these years would be proved right. They weren’t, though. Liam was telling the truth.

“We would have gotten you out. We would have freed you. We could have helped find you a place to live. A home.”  
“I can’t... I couldn’t... I didn’t want to admit it. I didn’t want to be seen in that position. Completely and utterly helpless. You don’t know how that feels, Liam. You don’t understand what it’s like to spend every night afraid. To wonder if tonight’s the night someone comes for you. I just... I couldn’t admit it. Not out loud.”

He hated feeling like that. The constant fear. The constant need to be alert. The only time his guard came down was when he slept, and that was when he put himself at risk the most.  
“I can’t imagine what that felt like. I can’t begin to understand that, but I can try. Scott and Mason would have. Stiles would have. The Pack would have done anything to change it.”

“It wouldn’t have fixed anything.”  
He couldn’t let himself hope for this to be over. If it didn’t work; if he let himself believe and it didn’t work, it would be too hard. Besides, he couldn’t put that responsibility on them. He couldn’t ask that of Liam and the Pack. It wasn’t their job to find him a house.  
“How can you _say_ that? You said it yourself. You didn’t deserve this, so then _why_ would you not help yourself? I told you we would have helped.”

He didn’t want to talk about it anymore. He’d been more honest than he thought he could be, and he couldn’t do it anymore. It was time to go back to reality. “I’m done.”  
“Excuse me?”  
“I’m through discussing how messed up my life is. I’m done talking about it. It’s painful, it hurts, and that’s it. No more. I’m done.”  
“Over my dead body.”  
“Liam-”

“Don’t you _dare_ say that. This is _not_ over.”  
He didn’t bother replying. Nothing he said at this point, would satisfy Liam. Not when he couldn’t do what Liam wanted. So instead, he turned and walked away. He ignored the menacing growl that rose behind him. All he had to do, was go back to his truck and lock the door.

“Where do think you’re going?”  
“Back to my truck, so I can sleep.”  
“Oh, no you’re not. You’re not staying there.”  
What was he supposed to say to that? In the end, he just scoffed. “What do you suggest I do?”  
“Move back in with me. Permanently.”

That was the _last_ thing he expected to hear. He spun around faster than he thought possible, but there was no trace of deception on Liam’s face. He couldn’t ask that of them. He couldn’t put that burden on Liam. He couldn’t put that burden on Jenna and David.  
“Why would I do that?”  
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe so you have a roof over your head? One that’s not made of metal?”  
“No.”

“You’re coming with me, Theo.”  
“I _said_ no.” He refused to be told what to do. No matter what it was about, it was _his_ life, and he would decide what to do.  
“I wasn’t asking.”  
“You can’t tell me what to do, Liam.”  
“I can when you’re being an idiot.”  
He lost control for a moment, and his eyes flashed gold. He didn’t appreciate the insult. “ _Don’t_ call me that.”  
“Stop acting like one, and I will.”

“You saw what happened last time. I’m not going to fight with you, again.”  
He just couldn’t go through that. It was hard enough the first time. He didn’t want to risk it repeating itself.  
“That won’t happen, this time! I’m not going to make a stupid comment like I did, then. Unlike you however, I’m actually trying to change. I’m thinking about what I say, first. I’m being careful that I don’t hurt you. You, on the other hand, are willing to stay here.”

He crossed his arms defensively, blocking the words out. To an extent, it was true. He was choosing to stay, right now, but he didn’t see the alternative working. “I won’t risk our friendship, Liam. I won’t lose you. I _can’t_ lose you.” It was more of an admission than he thought he’d make, but it was as close to the truth as he could get.

“You’re not going to _lose me_ , Theo. Seriously. How long will it take to convince you that I’m not leaving?”

He wasn’t sure. He didn’t know if he’d ever feel certain of that. He was so used to losing everything, he didn’t know if he could believe without any doubts. Despite that, he didn’t know how to respond. He couldn’t come out and say, ‘I probably won’t’. Before he could say anything, though, footsteps sounded nearby. They were close and approaching fast. Three sets with familiar scents rising with the growing proximity.

The only thing he could do was groan. Why wasn’t he surprised that Liam had brought them along? Scott, Stiles and Malia appeared through the trees, and they weren’t happy.

“Seriously? You too?” Stiles didn’t wait for what he had to say. Scott and Malia stopped a little behind Liam, but Stiles just kept walking. Before he could react, he was staring into that furious and unforgiving glare. A second later, he felt a sharp pain flare through his nose. There was no time to prevent it. Honestly, he didn’t even see it coming. He never saw Stiles lift an arm, let alone prepare to strike.

Holding his now broken and bleeding nose, he grimaced at the familiar and uncomfortable sensation.  
“What was that for?!”  
“How _dare_ you not tell us?!”  
His nose was still healing, and he glared. He didn’t need this. He was exhausted, and he just wanted to be left in peace. “I’ve already been through this with Liam. I’m not doing it again.” He had to stop for a moment. He didn’t notice it before, but now that he had, he couldn’t ignore it. “Why do you have your bat?”

He didn’t understand why Stiles rolled his eyes. It was a valid question. He didn’t bother asking about the bag Stiles was carrying. It sat over Stiles’ shoulder, and he wasn’t sure he’d like what was in there.  
“We’re in the middle of the Preserve, who knows where, with no knowledge of what might be out here. I’m not taking any chances.”

He really didn’t understand why they were here. If they were so worried about what might happen, why didn’t they just leave?

“We’re your friends, Theo.” Scott snapped. It was a different side of Scott, and he’d be lying if he said it didn’t scare him a little. Scott was the True Alpha. A person who refused to kill. To harm anyone, even their enemies. There was an immobile and unrelenting limit, that no one could shift. Well, apart from him that is, but that was in the past. To see Scott this angry, was a bigger surprise than Liam’s. “We could have-”  
“Just leave me alone.”

“There is no way that’s happening. So, get moving.” Malia glared at him, ignoring his own attempt. As usual, she couldn’t care less. Not when her mind was set on something.  
“I’m not a child. You can’t order me around.” What did that get him? Another broken nose. The best part? It had literally just healed, and now it was back to the start. It wasn’t hard to locate the culprit. Liam’s hand was still raised, and he glared whilst covering his nose.

“ _Liam!_ ”  
“I told you. If you want to act like an idiot, I’ll treat you like one. If you don’t want to be punched all the time, then start taking responsibility for your stupidity.”  
“He’s not the only one.” He wasn’t even surprised that Malia had sided with Scott, Stiles and Liam. They’d grown closer, lately. He even considered her a friend. That said, she still loved messing with him. Just not maliciously, anymore. “Don’t think for a moment, that I won’t kick your ass myself.”

He knew all too well that she meant it. He knew she would follow through on every single word. Scott never even challenged her. Scott never said a word to rebuke her threats.  
He did however, want to put this behind him. “I’m tired, and I just want to sleep. Leave me alone.”

He didn’t know what he expected, but it certainly wasn’t what Liam said next.  
“Stiles. Give me the bat.”  
Shit. Not once did he think it would turn out like this. Not once did he think Liam would ever be this angry. Seeing the bat in Liam’s hand a second later, sucked all the air from his lungs. Taking a sharp step back, he raised his hands in surrender. He _really_ didn’t want to feel the wrong end of that bat.

“Liam. Take a breath. Be reasonable.” He spoke softly. He needed to calm Liam down and quick. It wasn’t working. Liam didn’t even blink. “Oh, come on. Don’t you think this is a bit much?” How could they all stand there and let this happen? We’re talking about a _bat!_ A _literal_ bat!

Liam moved, and he felt sick. This was going to hurt. He tried to brace for the inevitable impact, but it never came. It didn’t come anywhere near him. Liam passed him entirely; eyes fixed forward, never once looking at him. Wait... where was Liam going? If the bat wasn’t for him, then what...

No. _No_. The breath was torn from his body. All it took was a split second, to send a wave of horror through him. “Don’t you _dare_.”  
Liam didn’t listen. Didn’t stop. Liam walked ahead, focus trained solely on his target. The only other target around. He couldn’t blink. Couldn’t look away. Nothing mattered other than the fact, that Liam stopped a mere couple of steps away from his truck. Eyes trained on the bat which was now raised above his shoulder.  
“ _Liam!_ ”

Liam held the bat tighter. He witnessed the small movements that signalled a prepared swing.  
“Stop! Liam, please just stop!”  
An overwhelming anxiety took hold of his chest. It _squeezed,_ and took any shred of confidence he had with it. He shrunk under the weight of Liam’s glare.  
“I’m not letting you stay here. If that means breaking your truck, then so be it.”  
Oh, please, no. Not this. _Anything_ but this.  
His eyes widened as far as possible, when he saw the bat move.

“ _No!_ Liam, _you can’t!_ ” He was absolutely terrified by the idea of Liam destroying his truck. He needed to make Liam stop. He _had_ to find a way. He just had to. “ _Please!_ ”  
Liam swung the bat forward; aiming straight for the back window. It wouldn’t be long before the rest followed. If Liam took that first hit, it would spark the beginning of an irreparable assault. His truck would be nothing more than a wreck.

“It’s one of the only things I own!”  
His heart stopped. Stomach dropping, he stared at the bat. The same bat, which was currently resting a mere two inches away from impact. From shattering the window. From destroying one of his most important possessions. Liam turned, and glancing into those blue eyes, he made one final desperate attempt to plead with Liam. To appeal to his empathy.  
“Liam, _please_. I’m _begging_ you. Don’t do this.”

He watched as Liam took a deep breath. It was a nerve-racking wait. Praying for Liam’s leniency. Praying for Liam to put the bat down.  
“Okay. I’ll stop.”  
He didn’t know what to say. He released the breath he’d been holding. Letting himself relax for the first time since Liam threatened his truck. He let his eyes close, for just a moment. Just long enough to come to terms with the wave of emotions flooding his body. The rapid change in feelings he’d experienced over the past several minutes.

“You’re coming home with us.”  
His truck might be safe, but this wasn’t over yet. Not until he could convince Liam to let this go. To let him go.  
“Liam, I can’t ask that of you. I can’t ask that of Jenna and David. It’s too much.”  
“You’re not asking. I’m offering, and you know Mum and Dad would never say no. They love you, and even if they didn’t, they wouldn’t turn you away. Not given the circumstances.”

“I don’t want to impose.”  
The truth was, he’d love to stay with Liam. The warm bed. The feeling of safety. The desire to be part of a family... it was what he wanted. He had for a while, but it wouldn’t be fair. It felt like he was intruding. It was one thing to stay for the duration of a curse; to stay for a limited time frame. It was another entirely to take up permanent residence.

“Theo, Mum would love you staying with us. She’s been talking about it since you left. I was seriously concerned Mum might ground me for life, after she realised what I said. She loves you, and anyone who messes with you, has to answer to her. If she had her way, you’d have moved in during the second curse.”

He wanted to. He wanted so much to say yes. With just one word, he could have a home. A real home. If he just said yes...  
“I’m sorry. I just can’t.”  
“Stiles, give me the chains.”  
What? What was Liam talking about? He tried to meet the beta’s eyes. If he could just meet Liam’s gaze, he knew he could figure out what Liam had planned. It was useless. The beta was deliberately avoiding him. Not one glance in his direction. Instead, he had to wait. He blinked in shock, when he saw Stiles remove a pair of metal chains from the bag he’d questioned earlier. He really wished he had asked.

Only once Liam was holding them, did the beta finally look at him. There was no time to decipher Liam’s intentions, though. It was mere seconds before Liam was in front of him, ignoring his raised eyebrow. Instead. Liam took hold of his arms, and begun binding them with the chain.

“What are you doing?” He hissed. He had to be asleep. This couldn’t be real. It just couldn’t.  
“Not taking no for an answer.”  
He tried to struggle; to break out of Liam’s grasp, but it was pointless. Liam was furious, and there was no arguing with the beta. Not when he was this worked up. No. Instead of letting him go, Liam continued to bind his wrists. Liam practically exuded rage, and it was shown through every twist. Namely, the final knot, which was tied with a lot more force than necessary.

Liam picked up the other end, unconcerned with the discomfort it caused.  
“Liam, it’s too tight.”  
“I honestly don’t care, right now.”  
“It’s cutting into my wrists!”  
“You made me do this.”  
“ _Liam!_ ” This was ridiculous. Liam couldn’t be serious. He wasn’t seriously being held prisoner. He wasn’t _seriously_ dealing with this, again. It wasn’t pleasant when it was Liam and Hayden dragging him across town, and it wasn’t pleasant now.

“Let me go.” He couldn’t help the growl that slipped out.  
“No.”  
“Scott! _Do_ something!”  
Scott didn’t make any attempt to intervene. “Not this time.”  
“ _Scott._ ”  
“I’m on Liam’s side, Theo. You’re not staying here, and that’s final. If this is the only way to get you home, then that’s what we’ll do.”

He jolted forward, trying his best not to fall completely. He wasn’t expecting the sudden pull on the chain, and he’d easily lost balance.  
“Let’s go.”  
He wasn’t given a choice in the matter. Nor did anyone listen to his requests. It didn’t matter what he said, or how many times he said it. No one responded. All it got him was another rough pull. He’d lost count of how many times he’d tripped. It was hard to watch your step, when someone seemed intent on making the journey difficult for you. “ _Slow down_ , Liam.”  
“Give it a rest.”

“I can barely keep up with you.” Just one moment. All he was asking for was a moment of ease. A moment in which he could stand without tripping every two seconds.  
“Oh, you’re fine.”  
“I’ve been tripping over roots and rocks this entire time! You may as well be trying to pull my _arm_ off, given the amount of _force_ you’re using.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you really whining about a little force?”  
What happened next? You guessed it. _Another_ tug. So hard, he nearly hit the ground. It took every ounce of control he had, to regain his balance in time. He growled, but just like every other time, it went unanswered.  
“Scott, will you _please_ tell your beta to stop?”

“This is between you and Liam. I’m not getting involved in whatever this is. Just do what he says. Do you have any idea how dangerous this was? Do you have any idea what could have happened?”  
Was that a serious question? It was rather insulting to think he didn’t. He’d been through enough to know exactly what was at stake.  
“Of course, I do, Scott! I’ve been avoiding hunters since it started! I’ve been avoiding the deputies and the Pack! I’ve been kidnapped before! I know _exactly_ what there is to fear.”

Suddenly, everyone was looking at him. With just one admission, he’d achieved what had seemed impossible only seconds ago. They were all looking at him, and it was slightly unnerving.  
“You were _what?_ ” Liam’s voice bordered on feral. A primal urge was taking control, and that was the last thing he wanted. Dealing with a human or werewolf Liam could be difficult enough, but facing Liam when the wolf was in charge... he wasn’t looking forward to that.

He caught sight of Liam’s claws, and oh, was Liam angry.  
“Liam-”  
“ _No_. Don’t you _dare_ downplay this. When were you kidnapped?”  
“It was years ago. I let my guard slip. That’s all. I haven’t made that mistake again.”

“You let your guard down _today!_ I could barely wake you up! You were so deep in your ni-”   
No. Oh, please, not that. Liam stopped suddenly, cutting himself off before saying the word, but he knew _exactly_ where that sentence was going. He knew _exactly_ what Liam was going to say, and he _really_ didn’t want to discuss it. Not now. Not when Scott, Stiles and Malia were _right there_.

He didn’t know what he looked like, but he knew he was openly pleading with Liam not to voice it. He needed this to stay between them. His nightmares weren’t something he wanted known. Talking about Tara, about the warehouse, about Liam laughing... He wasn’t ready. He couldn’t do it. Thankfully, Liam changed directions.

“All I’m saying is that you don’t know when something might happen. If you’re attacked when you’re sleeping...”

He let himself relax, just a bit.

“I’m fine, Liam.” He was still recovering from the shock and anxiety. His voice showed as much, soft and whispered as it were.  
“You are _not_ fine! Theo, you were _kidnapped!_ What part of this don’t you get? How can you be so dismissive?”

Having _finally_ been given a break whilst Liam came to a stop, he crossed his arms and glared. As if he didn’t know. He knew _exactly_ how bad it had been. He was the one electrocuted, after all. “I know it’s bad, Liam. I was there. I don’t know about you, but I’m not particularly fond of being tortured.”  
“Then, stop being an idiot. Stop trying to fight us, and just accept that you’re moving in with me.”  
“I can’t-”

Just like that. He had to cover his nose. It was honestly ridiculous how many times they’d broken it. One hit, and it snapped under the weight of Liam’s fist. Blood trailed along his hand, and he waited for it to heal a little, before speaking.

“ _Damn it_ , Liam. What was that for?!”  
“I told you to stop being an idiot. So, what do you do? You make another stupid comment. I’m not going to listen to you refuse, Theo. This is happening, whether you like it or not.” He wasn’t given a chance to reply. “I’ll ask you again, and I expect an answer this time. _When_ were you kidnapped?”

He didn’t want to answer. Not when he _knew_ it would only lead to an argument. Well, that is prolong one. It wouldn’t do any good. Reliving that night wasn’t going to alter facts, so why bother? Liam wasn’t going to stop, though. Not without that very information.  
“During the war with the hunters.”

“ _That long ago?!_ ” It was concerning how much Liam looked like he was about to hit him, again. If he maintained a close eye on Liam’s arms, who could blame him? He’d already had a broken nose three times today. He wasn’t looking for another one. Not if he could help it.  
“I got out of it. I’m fine.”  
“Who was it?”  
“Schrader.” Thinking of that guy, of what could have happened if he didn’t break those ties... Someone as sadistic as Schrader, never would have let them go. It only would have gotten worse from there. Once he did escape... well. He really didn’t want to think about that.  
“Why didn’t you tell us?!”

“I told you.” He was done. He couldn’t do this anymore. “I dealt with it. I’m here. I’m okay. Really.”  
“It’s not enough to just survive, Theo. You can have so much more. You have us. You have a Pack. You need to start trusting us. You need to let us in.”

Of course.  
Of course, Liam thought he didn’t trust them. The beta had never been so wrong before, but he understood why Liam thought that. It’s not like he’d given them reason to think he did. Not after hiding so much. Not after keeping this from them. “I do. I _do_ trust you. All of you.”  
Scott looked at him, and he hated seeing the lost look in those eyes. He hated knowing Scott was hurt and upset because of him.

“Then, why didn’t you let us help you?”  
Should he be honest? Put himself out there, and just tell them everything? Should he let them in, and reveal the full reason? Part of him wanted to, but he just couldn’t bring himself to say the words. They were all waiting, though. Scott, Stiles and Malia were all watching him, waiting for an answer. He couldn’t lie, anymore. He couldn’t hide the truth.

“I wanted to. You have no idea how much I wanted to.” He had come so close, too. He could still feel his phone in his hand. The bright screen with Scott’s name, seemed to shine before him now. “There was one point where I nearly did. I almost called you, Scott. The day I was kidnapped.”

“What?” Scott’s voice croaked.  
He steadied himself, before continuing. “I wanted to call, but I didn’t think I should. I didn’t deserve your help. Not after how I treated you. After I killed you. I wanted help, but I couldn’t ask you. When it started getting better between us; between me and the Pack... I didn’t want anyone to know.”  
He never thought he’d admit this. It was real and sensitive, but they had a right to know. All things considered. They deserved to understand.

”I didn’t want to be seen as weak. I didn’t want anyone to know how far I’d fallen. I wanted to be free of it. Of course, I did. I know I don’t deserve to be homeless, but I didn’t want the Pack to know.”  
“You can’t always help yourself, Theo. Sometimes, you need _help_. That’s why we’re here. You didn’t need to be alone in this. Especially, when those deputies ignored your situation.”

Strangely, he felt a little better at Scott’s reassurance. The crushing weight on his chest at the admission eased, and the bout of nausea receded.  
“You better not be hiding anything else.” Malia sure did love her threats. “If you do, I’ll finally have an excuse to punch you without listening to complaints about it being wrong.”

Wait, what? He wasn’t the only one to look at her. No one had expected that. No one had thought she would... was she _smirking?_ Was Malia really _joking_ , right now? He knew she would punch him, and she’d probably enjoy it. He just _knew_ that she’d aim for his nose.  
Why not? Everyone else did, and she’d probably like being the one to break it. Friends or not, if there was one thing he was sure of, it’s that Malia liked messing with people. Be it fights, teasing or pranks, there was always something.

“Even Scott didn’t complain when Liam and Stiles broke your nose. He won’t care if I join in.”  
He couldn’t hide his snort. _He knew it._  
“I don’t doubt you’d enjoy it, but I’d rather not have another broken nose. Three is more than enough. I _really_ don’t need another reminder.” He was only half joking. He may have been following on from Malia’s comment, but in all seriousness, he did _not_ want another broken nose.

“Then, listen to Liam. Stop being an idiot, and get moving.”  
At this rate, he’d be snorting all day. There was just one problem with their plan. “You do realise my truck’s the other way, right?”  
“You can come back for it. We’re taking Stiles’ Jeep.”  
Oh, come on! He didn’t appreciate Liam’s smile. Liam never said _anything_ about confiscating his truck. This wasn’t fair. It was his. He didn’t want to leave it in the middle of the Preserve.   
“Consider this the consequence for waiting five years to tell us.”  
Oh, that little...  
“Can you _at least_ remove the chains?”  
“No.”

Great. Just great. Riding back to Beacon Hills, hands bound, with an angry and amused beta, as well as part of the Pack...

This was going to be a long day.


	10. Jenna

Can’t her sons return home like usual teenagers for once? Just once, she’d like to see them come in and announce they’d been to the movies. That they’d walk in and sit on the couch or in Liam’s room. Like most teenagers and their friends would do. She’d absolutely _love_ to have them come home and say they were in a relationship, or at least, that they liked someone.

What did she get instead? Liam pulling Theo inside by a chain. She didn’t even know how to respond to this. She liked to think she had more patience and a greater level of understanding than most parents. With everything she’d seen and experienced, she liked to think there wasn’t much that could surprise her, anymore.

This however, was definitely one of the few occasions which did.

“Liam. Why is Theo tied up?”  
It didn’t help that Theo flinched. What could this possibly be about? She couldn’t begin to understand what could have led to this.  
“Just a simple misunderstanding.” Theo answered, but her attention caught on Liam’s glare. Clearly, Liam didn’t agree with the answer.

“Don’t lie to Mum, Theo.”  
Again, she watched the boy in question flinch. Usually, she would be mad about being lied to, but there were more pressing matters at hand. Namely, why Theo felt the need to lie, in the first place.

“Theo, you can tell me anything. You know that. You don’t need to be afraid.” She never wanted either of these boys to be scared of her. She never wanted them to feel like they couldn’t come to her. All she’d ever tried to do was ensure they had an honest relationship.

“Go on, Theo. Tell her.” Liam clearly wasn’t happy about whatever this was, but that could mean anything. Unfortunately, Liam had a tendency to overreact.  
She waited as Theo bit his lip. A nervous habit she’d quickly picked up on. She hated seeing Theo like this. She hated knowing she was the one making him worried.  
“I, uh...”

“Nothing you say is going to upset me, Theo.” She narrowed her gaze at Liam, at hearing his muttered, ‘I wouldn’t be so sure of that.’ “You’re not helping, Liam.”  
“He won’t tell you. So, I will.” Liam declared. Theo tried to stop him, but it didn’t work. “Theo’s homeless, and he refused to move in. So, I made the decision for him.”

She froze. Not once had she thought that would be the answer. How could Theo be homeless? The poor boy. More importantly, why wouldn’t he want to move in? They would have welcomed him in, in a heartbeat.  
“Theo, honey. What happened? Did you get evicted?” She didn’t understand why Theo looked down at his feet. It’s not like she’d blame him for this. If his landlord or someone had kicked him out unjustly, which there couldn’t be a valid reason, they would have to deal with her.

She received an answer when Liam spoke a moment later, but it only confused her more.  
“He doesn’t have a house. He never did.”  
“What do you mean, Theo didn’t have a house? Where has he been staying?”

Theo looked up then. Eyes glued on Liam’s in an open plea. “Liam, don’t.”  
“In his truck.”  
“What?” Her voice cracked, and she felt the familiar prickle of tears building beneath her eyes. “Oh, Theo. Why didn’t you say anything? You know you could have stayed here.”  
“I, uh... I didn’t want to burden you.”  
“Theo.” Her voice took on a sharp edge. “You could _never_ be a burden.

“No, but he is an idiot.” Liam’s harsh tone caused Theo to flinch, and she was quickly tiring of his attitude.  
“Liam Dunbar, stop being so rude.”  
“It’s true, Mum.”  
“Theo is _not_ an idiot. Why are you being so mean?” It wasn’t like her son to be this cruel. Not to Theo. Even with his IED, he never attacked Theo like this. With the exception of that one fight, of course, which is what surprised her the most.

“Ask Theo how long he’s been homeless.”  
She didn’t like the sound of that. “Why?”  
“Just ask him.”  
“Liam, don’t.” Theo pleaded. This really wasn’t going to be good. Not considering Theo’s reactions and Liam’s anger.  
“I’m not covering for you.”  
“She doesn’t need to know. It’s not important.”

Oh, did that make Liam mad. She didn’t know the answer yet, but she knew for certain that it mattered. Enough that Liam was furious at the insinuation it didn’t.  
“Why don’t we see what mum thinks?”  
Theo swallowed. Hard and rough. His lower lip was pulled back once again, as it served as a means of managing the mounting stress. “Please-”  
“Five years.”  
Theo winced, and bit his lip deeper. His eyes appeared to be fixed on his shoes, which had suddenly become extremely interesting. She, on the other hand, could feel her own anger building. It threatened to spill any second.

Five years. Theo had been homeless for _five_ years, and she didn’t know. In that time, not once did Theo say anything. She was trying to stay calm. She was trying to breathe, to control her temper. It was obvious how worried Theo was, and whilst he was in need of a serious lesson in dangerous behaviour, she didn’t want to frighten the boy.

It was terrible to think of the nights that Theo had spent alone, out there in the dark. She knew all too well what was out there, and the kinds of people after her sons and their friends. It was terrifying and heartbreaking to picture Theo sleeping in his truck, but what was worse, was the fact that he had left their house, to do so. After each curse; after his fight with Liam, she thought he was going home. She thought he would be safe. What she hadn’t known at the time, though, was that his home and his truck, were in fact, one and the same.  
  
“Theo.”  
She sighed when she saw him pale. All colour drained from his face in an instant, and she rubbed a hand down her face for strength.  
“I’m not going to yell at you.”  
Slowly, Theo looked up. Cautious and _still_ biting his lip. “You’re- you’re not?”  
“No, Theo, but I am angry that you didn’t tell anyone. That you didn’t tell _us_.” It hurt to see Theo look away, too unsure to face her. She didn’t understand why he didn’t think he could have come to her about this. “How could you not ask us to stay? You know we would have said yes. We _always_ would have said yes.”

“I, uh... I didn’t want to put that responsibility on you. It didn’t seem fair to ask that much of you and David. You’ve already done so much for me; I didn’t want to take advantage of that.”  
The poor boy. She knew he’d had a rough upbringing, and from what little she knew, she understood Theo hadn’t been shown a lot of love growing up. That sort of trauma left scars. Those that run deeper than the skin.

She knew that Theo still struggled with a lot of issues, but she never realised just how insecure he was about his place in the world.  
Even after repeatedly assuring Theo he was part of this family; that he always would be, there were still doubts. There were still uncertainties which fed Theo’s belief, that one day he would be told to leave. That he would one day outstay his welcome.

“I promise, Theo. You have a place here for as long as you want it. No one is going to ask you to leave. We want you here, and that’s never going to change.”  
She met his eyes again as he looked up, and this time, she noticed his hope. She saw the desperation to have just that. To have a place where he belonged and was wanted. To be loved unconditionally.  
“Really?”

“Of course, honey. Now, you’re staying here. End of story. Liam, you can help get the guest room ready. It’s yours now, Theo.”  
She returned Theo’s shy smile, watching as Liam finally undid the chains. She didn’t miss Theo’s relieved sigh, once he was free. As they made their way upstairs, she let herself breathe. Her son was finally home.  
Both of them.

There was one more thing she needed to say, though. One, which was extremely important.  
“Theo?”  
He turned around, confused.  
“If you ever lie to me or hide something this important from me again, I won’t be so forgiving next time.” She was pretty sure Theo understood, given the way he paled and agreed instantly, before rushing to exit the room.

This would be interesting.


	11. Liam

It only took a few minutes to sort out some fresh sheets for the bed, and once that was done, the room was ready.  
Theo stood uncertainly in the doorway. Despite the number of times Theo had slept here, he could imagine it felt different knowing it was yours. It must be strange to call a room your own, after spending so long without one. He couldn’t begin to imagine what Theo was feeling, right now.

“So, what’s the first thing you want to do?”  
“I- I don’t know.”  
“Theo, I meant it when I said this is your home, now. So did Mum. You can do anything you want. You have free reign, Theo.”

He watched Theo’s lower lip sink between his teeth, as those green eyes glanced at the bed. A moment later, seemingly too tired to think about it any longer, Theo moved to sit down.  
“Thank you.” Their eyes met, and he smiled at the overwhelming gratitude he saw. “For all of this. I never thought I’d have any of this, so thank you.”  
“You’re welcome. Now, what’s next on your to-do list?”

“I have no idea.”  
“Well, then. I guess you’ll just have to put up with listening to me talk.”  
He loved hearing Theo’s laugh. It was sweet, and he didn’t hear it enough. If he could, he would make Theo laugh every day. In fact, that was his new goal. He would make Theo laugh _at least_ twice a day.

“I think I can do that.”  
They spoke for the next hour, covering everything and anything they could think of. They covered their favourite food, (who knew Theo loved noodles?) and past pets, (turns out, Theo used to have a goldfish, whilst he had a rabbit).

He already knew Theo’s favourite song was ‘Heal’ by Tom Odell, whilst his was ‘Dear Future Husband’ by Meghan Trainor. He’d made Theo promise not to laugh before telling him, and he had to admit, it was rather amusing seeing Theo quote the lyrics off by heart. Especially, when Theo broke out singing in character. The performance, complete with actions, was the best part.

They even looked at what movie universe they’d like to be a part of. Ever since he was six, he’d wanted to meet Atreyu from ‘The NeverEnding Story’. Once they saved ‘Fantasia’, there was nothing to stop their world going on as usual. It looked like a fun place to live, and he had to admit, he still wondered what it would be like.

Theo wanted to see the sights of ‘Indiana Jones’. It didn’t matter which, apparently. They were all interesting, and honestly, it wasn’t that surprising. He’d seen Theo’s investment and interest in the movies. He’d sort of expected the answer.

There was one question he wanted to ask, but it would change the mood completely. They were happy and relaxed, but if he voiced his thoughts, it would turn sour instantly.  
“Theo?”  
“Yeah?” Theo had closed his eyes and laid down, showing signs of drifting off a couple of questions ago.

“Can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer. Not if you don’t want to.”  
He watched the sudden swallow, and how Theo slowly sat up to meet his eyes. “What is it?”

“You don’t have a job, do you?”  
“No.” Theo’s gaze dropped, and he regretted speaking already. The problem was, that question had opened up a string of concerns, and he couldn’t just overlook them.

“How did you afford to eat?” Theo remained silent, and he had his answer. “Theo, how did you eat?”  
“I didn’t. Not always.” It was whispered, but audible. He would’ve kept his word and not pushed Theo, but he appreciated the fact he’d been given an answer.

“How have you paid for petrol? How did you pay for your phone?” It suddenly occurred to him that Theo had done more than pay for one phone. “Wait. You bought me a phone. Theo, how did you pay for that?” His heart sunk at Theo’s wince. What had he done?  
“I’d rather not talk about it.”  
“You’re okay, though, right? No one hurt you?”  
Theo’s eyes widened in an instant. “Wha- _what?!_ No! Liam, I’m fine! I promise. I just... I’m not proud of it, and I’d rather try to forget.”

“Of course.” He wished he knew. It scared him more than a little, to wonder what could have been the source of those payments, but he had promised to respect Theo’s need for privacy. He also trusted Theo would tell him if it was truely bad, and if Theo said he wasn’t hurt, then he believed him.

“That’s why you never bought anything when we went to the mall. That’s why you never bought the telescope.”  
“A little hard when you’re strapped for cash.” The half smile was painful to see. It was good to see Theo trying to joke about it, but even Theo couldn’t fully leave it behind. Not yet. “Thank you. You really didn’t need to buy it for me.”

“Theo, I’m glad I did. More than ever. You deserve to have what you want, Theo. I’m happy I could give you something. I’m guessing it’s in your truck?”  
One breath. Two breaths. Three breaths.  
He couldn’t help but count each deep breath Theo took. It was as if Theo was trying to calm himself down. He didn’t understand why, though.  
“It is. I need to get my bag, as well. It has my clothes in it.”

“We can go back, now, but Theo. I need you to promise me something.” He waited until he was sure he had Theo’s full attention, before continuing. “I need you to promise not to keep secrets from me. Not when it relates to your safety and well-being. I don’t expect you to tell me everything. You’re entitled to your privacy, and I trust you’ll tell me what you need to when you’re ready, but please. If it puts you in danger, I need to know, Theo. Please.”

“I promise.”

He believed Theo. He believed that this time, they would be okay. He was looking forward to what the future would bring, and if that included more time with Theo, well... could you blame him?  
He might not fully understand his feelings yet, and he was more than a little confused about liking Theo, but he could finally admit it.

Now, he just needed to talk to Mason.


	12. Mason

“You what?!”  
His mind was reeling. This was _not_ how he thought the day would go. A nice catch up with his best friend. A day to enjoy themselves without _any_ supernatural interruptions. (A guy could hope). The plan had been to watch a few movies, play a few video games, and just talk. He just didn’t expect the ‘talk’ component of the day to turn out like this.  
“Do you have to make such a big deal about it? It’s not that strange.”

“Not that- _Liam!_ Can you _hear_ yourself? You just told me you like _Theo_ , and you think that’s _not a big deal?!_ ”  
He was losing his mind here, but Liam wasn’t much better. He took in the loud groan; the way his best friend hid his face within the confines of his arms. The way Liam was lying face down on his bed, refusing to look up.

Okay, so maybe that wasn’t the best reaction he could have had. In his defence, it was more than a little surprising. “I’m sorry, Liam. It’s just... we’re twenty-three. Not once in all those years have you shown any interest in guys.”  
“I _know!_ That’s _why_ I came to you for help!”  
“Okay. Let’s think about this logically. When did you first realise that you like Theo?”

“After a Pack meeting. The one where Malia accused Theo of liking Scott. I couldn’t stop thinking about what Theo said. About why it bothered me that he might. I didn’t think it did, until I realised that _I want Theo_.”

This was definitely a shock.  
“Okay, next question. When did you first notice a change in how you felt about Theo?”  
“I don’t know, Mason. I guess when we started to become friends. Back when Theo was cursed the first time. The second curse, in particular.”

“Theo was de-aged in February, so, most of the year. Are you sure you like him that way?”  
“Yes! Mason I can’t stop thinking about him! I can’t stop thinking about whether he’s safe, if he’s happy, if he needs someone to talk to. I look at Theo, and I keep thinking about how cute his smiles are. I see Theo’s hair in the morning, and it looks adorable and soft. I want to hold his hand. I want to brush my hand through Theo’s hair. So, yes, Mason. I know that I like Theo.”

“I hate to tell you this, but I think this is more than you liking him.”  
Liam looked up; panic written all over his face. “What? What is that supposed to mean?”  
”I think... I think you’re in love.”  
of he thought he’d seen panic before, Liam was absolutely frantic, now. It looked like he was about two seconds away from a full blown panic attack.

“ _What do I do?!_ ”  
He wished there was more he could say. He wished that he knew he answer, but this revelation had thrown him for a loop, and he was completely out of advice. The only idea he had was initiating the ‘sexual awakening’ ritual. It had helped him get through his own realisation when they were children, and hopefully, it would help Liam, too.

It was time to bring out the ice-cream, romantic comedies and magazines. So, he may have taken some advice from his cousin, Amelia, at the time. He didn’t care what anyone, thought. Everyone was entitled to enjoy a good tub of ice-cream, and ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ is still his favourite film, to this day.

Sure enough, it was tied for Liam’s by the end of the night, as well.


	13. Theo

He was hot and exhausted. In a good way. For the last hour, he’d been training with Malia. They’d had too many run-ins with the supernatural, lately, and they needed to be on guard. They needed to be prepared, at all times.

They needed to be at the top of their games.  
He’d be lying if he said it wasn’t fun. Especially, when he kept beating Malia. Not once had she gotten the best of him. No matter how many times they practiced; no matter what she tried, he always won. Malia wasn’t so happy about it, though.  
“How do you keep winning?”

“Experience and talent.” He loved teasing Malia. Just as much, as she loved to do the same to him. He felt his familiar smirk slide into place, and he couldn’t hold back a laugh at her disgruntled expression.

“You wouldn’t know talent, if it bit you.”  
“Sounds to me, like you’re a sore loser.”  
“Just you wait, Theo. We’ll see who the sore loser is, when I knock you down.”  
“Yeah, good luck with that.”  
It went on for another ten rounds, and by the end of it, he still hadn’t lost. Not once. Much to Malia’s mounting frustration and his amusement.

“Want to call it a night?”  
“Never.” Glaring, she lunged forward and missed. Again. He laughed at her irritable growl.  
“Come on, you won’t beat me. Just admit defeat.”  
“ _Never_.” Another lunge. Another miss.  
“Come at me, then.” He grinned as she took the bait. They went on like that for a while, with him dodging each of Malia’s attacks. She came close once, but he managed to twist sideways to avoid her claws.

“So, the other night...”  
“Which one?”  
“At the Pack meeting. You said you didn’t like Scott.”  
Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me.  
“ _Seriously_ , Malia? Not this again. I _told_ you-”  
“Yeah, yeah, I know. You don’t like Scott. I know. That’s not what this is about.” He ducked to avoid another swipe, sighing as she continued. “This is about the fact, you’re hiding something.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He wasn’t lying, either. He didn’t have a clue as to what Malia thought he was hiding.  
“Oh, I think you do.”  
“Look, if this is you’re attempt at throwing me off, you can think again. Nothing you say is going to distract me.” It took flipping over the incoming leg and sliding across the dirt, to avoid the next attack. She was getting better. Closer. More determined. Not that it mattered because he didn’t plan on letting her win.

“You see, _I_ think there’s something you’re not telling us. _I_ think that just because you don’t like Scott, doesn’t mean you don’t like someone else.”  
 _Shit_. She couldn’t know. No, there’s... there’s no way. It’s a trick. Malia’s simply trying to get in your head. She’s trying to confuse you. To break your focus. It was a strategy. That’s all. Don’t give into it. Don’t let her beat you.

“Nice try. I’m not falling for your little mind games.” He grinned when she tripped over his extended leg and fell. If he could just pin her, he’d win. Just like every other time.  
“I don’t hear you denying it.”  
Oh, the confidence in her voice. She was sure she could outlast him, but she was wrong. He wouldn’t fall victim to a simple mind game. He was better than that.

“Why waste my breath on something we both know to be incorrect? Just give it up, Malia. We both know I’m going to win, so why not just end it now? Take the out.”  
“I am _not_ forfeiting.”  
“Suit yourself.” His smirk was back. “It’s time to end this.”

Swipe, lunge, kick and flip. Lunge, kick and...  
“Maybe we should ask the Pack what they think. I’m sure we can figure out who it is together.”  
No. If they started talking about this... It wouldn’t lead to anything good. It might even... Before he could think about what might happen, he felt a hand wrap around his ankle and pull. His back hit the ground, and the wind was knocked out of his lungs. Within seconds, his arms and legs were pinned. Malia crouched over him, grinning.  
“I win.”

Damn it. He let her into his mind. He let her trick him into losing focus. Fine. One loss. Big deal.  
“So, who is it?”  
“Give it a rest. You won, so drop the act.”  
“Who’s acting?” He winced at her amused grin. It only ever meant trouble for the person on the other end, which right now, happened to be him. “Distracting you was a bonus. Well, it was the intention, but that doesn’t make it any less true.”

He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, and tried to move, but Malia wouldn’t let go.  
“Who is it, Theo?”  
One look at those eyes; one look at that smile, and he knew. There was no doubt about whether he was right or not. The truth lay visible in that one look. Groaning, he closed his eyes for a moment, before looking back up at her.  
“You already know.”

She had the nerve to laugh. He could already feel the familiar traces of heat, flaring to life under his skin. Colouring his cheeks, in an undeniable betrayal of his emotions.  
“It was pretty obvious.”  
Oh, no. If it was obvious, then... then that meant... Liam. His eyes widened to the brink of what was possible, and he swallowed hard. It felt like swallowing a stone. Malia seemed to notice his concern, though, because she clarified.

“Obvious to everyone, except Liam.”  
Oh, _thank goodness_.  
“Honestly, I don’t think the rest of the Pack knows. They’re clueless if they don’t, though. I’ve known since that day.”  
What? No, she... she couldn’t have...  
That would mean...  
“But, you didn’t say anything.”  
“It wasn’t my secret to tell.”  
He owed Malia. It was so different to how it used to be. In the past, she would have told Liam seconds after realising. If she didn’t, it would be to blackmail him. Previously, she would have enjoyed watching him squirm. Now, however, it never even crossed her mind.

“Thank you.” Sighing, he voiced his thoughts. He knew she wouldn’t, but he needed to hear it, nonetheless. “Can we keep this between us? No one can know.”  
“Like I said. It’s your secret, not mine.”  
“I owe you.”  
Her grin grew, and he knew he’d come to regret those words. At least, he knew she wouldn’t out him to the Pack. There was just one more thing to deal with. One more thing before he could leave.

“Can you let me up, now?”  
Her grin never faded. Never disappeared. “No, I don’t think I will. I think I like you like this.”  
“Very funny. Let me up.”  
“No. I don’t think I will.”  
“Malia.” He was not prepared to stay here. He didn’t hold her captive. Each round, he let her up after he won. He expected the same in return.

“Not until you admit I won.”  
“Oh, _come on_.”  
“I have all day, Theo. Do you?”  
This is what he gets for being friends with Malia. Not that he’d change it, but it was rather frustrating, at times.

“Okay! You win!”  
She didn’t stop laughing, but as embarrassing as his defeat was, at least he could stand up, now. He didn’t appreciate her smirk, when he said he was going home. This could only spell trouble.

He would never hear the end of it.


	14. Theo

He was rather confused as to why when he stepped foot inside his room, he was dragged back out. A hand around his arm, prevented him from going any further, and drew him back the way he’d come.  
“Liam, what are you doing?”  
“We’re going out.”  
“Where?”  
“It’s a surprise.”

Liam practically dragged him downstairs and out the front door. He may as well have been thrown into the front seat of his truck, which was the _only_ time Liam let go of his arm.  
“You do realise I need to know where to go, right?”  
Liam seemed to contemplate something for a moment, and it didn’t take long to figure out what. “Oh, no. Forget it.”

“Out.”  
“You are not driving my truck.”  
Liam didn’t respond. Instead, he was left staring at the retreating figure, as the beta walked around the truck to his door. He sat there staring, whilst Liam refused to budge.

“I said out.”  
“Not happening.”  
“Don’t make me pull you out, Theo.”  
He really questioned his taste in men, sometimes. Why did he like the beta, again? Sighing, he climbed out and made his way to the passenger seat. He didn’t like being ordered around, so there had better be a good reason for this unplanned outing.

It only became more confusing when Liam parked outside the Mall. He cast a narrowed gaze between the building in front of them and Liam himself. This entire situation felt strange. There was an enormous sense of foreboding, and one he couldn’t shake. It felt like there was something or someone waiting for them inside, and he didn’t know what to expect.  
“Why are we here?”  
“Come in, and you’ll find out.”

He didn’t know what was waiting behind those solid wooden doors, but he did know that Liam wouldn’t lead him astray. The beta would never deliberately put him in harm’s way.  
Here goes nothing.

He stood inside the entrance, and this was certainly not what he’d thought he’d see. People everywhere. Talking to friends. Some on their phones. Moving seamlessly from one store to the next. Nothing was different. Nothing stood out.

If it was all the same; if it was just like any other trip to the mall, then why were they here?  
“Are you ready?”  
“For what?”  
“To shop.”  
He blinked four times, and yet, he still couldn’t make sense of what Liam just said. Two simple words. Most people would probably laugh if they saw him, right now. In fact, Liam was smiling, but it didn’t matter.

“I don’t understand. You brought me here to go shopping?” That couldn’t be right.  
“Why else would we be here?” Liam was way too amused by this. He was experiencing a perfectly reasonable reaction.

“You do remember that I told you I don’t have money, right? Did you really need to bring me with you?” He didn’t feel like just walking around all day. Not when he couldn’t buy anything.  
“Maybe not, but I do.”  
“Geez, thanks for the reminder.”  
Why was Liam laughing?  
“Theo, the money is for you.”  
“What?”  
“You moved in a week ago, and your room looks exactly the same as it did, then.”  
“So? What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, but it’s time to make it your own. It’s time to add your own personal touches.”  
He didn’t know what to say. Liam had come all this way, just for him. To help make him feel more at home. Not that he needed to. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know where to start.

“I... You don’t have to do this.”  
“Maybe not, but I want to.”  
“Liam, really. The room is enough. You don’t have to spend your money on me.” He waited for Liam to speak. He waited for the beta to stop shaking his head and say something.  
“You see, that’s just it. It’s my money, Theo. I can do what I want with it, and I’m choosing to use it on decorating your room. You should have something that you can call your own. More than you already have. Besides, it’s not just me who thinks so.”

What? What did that mean?  
“Mum and Dad gave me some money to help pay for whatever you want. In case, I didn’t have enough.”  
Jenna and David...  
“Liam, I can’t take your parents’ money.”  
“You can and you will. That is, unless you want me to tell Mum you refused.”  
Okay, that wouldn’t go well.  
“You really don’t mind?”  
“Of course, I don’t. Now, where do you want to go first? Oh, and you need some new clothes. There’s nothing wrong with your current clothes, but you only have, what, three choices? You need a few new outfits.”

He wasn’t about to argue. Not when he knew Liam would follow through on his threat to tell Jenna. He would deny it as long as he lived, but he was rather scared of Jenna. Not all the time, but she wasn’t someone you wanted to mess with.

They made quick progress, and he had to admit, he rather enjoyed the himself. It was a lot nicer being involved, instead of just walking around aimlessly. Being able to look at what he wanted and actually buy it was nice.  
Soon, they had collected two new tops, two pairs of pants, three jackets and a pair of shoes.

They stopped in at the ‘Lunar Florist’, and it was absolutely awe-inspiring. The range of flowers available and the colours present was breathtaking. He spent an hour talking to the florist, before they finally left with three boutiques.

‘Entertainment Hub’ was full of movies and CD’s. Everywhere he looked there were more aisles. New releases, classics, children’s. Rock, pop, country, Latin, rap... there were so many categories to explore. The first ones they bought were the obvious. An ‘Indiana Jones’ box set, ‘The NeverEnding Story’ trilogy, all of Tom Odell’s albums and Meghan Trianor’s ‘Title’ album. What? He liked it. Okay, maybe it had something to do with it containing Liam’s favourite song.  
Sue him.

He also found a range of new movies and music to try. He was looking forward to collecting more.

They found posters of Indiana Jones and The NeverEnding Story, (Liam bought two), and a beautiful lamp in the shape of a Wolf. Liam went as far as to buy him a computer, and a collection of books. His initial choices were all non-fiction and about the world.

He was interested in learning more about the moon and travelling. Liam insisted that he start a collection of history books. Surprise, surprise. In the end, he even had a few fantasy books recommended by the owner.

He couldn’t believe the amount of money and time Liam, Jenna and David were willing to spend on him. He couldn’t begin to express how much he appreciated it. Arriving home, (he wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to referring to it as their home, instead of Liam’s), both the boot and beat seats were full of bags.

It took several trips, even with Jenna and David’s help, to bring everything inside. They spent the next hour arranging it all, and when they were done, he couldn’t believe this was the same room. It no longer felt like the guest room in a friend’s house. It was his. It was all his, and he had Liam, Jenna and David to thank for that.

They’d told him on more than one occasion, but it was beginning to feel like it was true. Liam wasn’t just his friend. Jenna and David weren’t just Liam’s parents. They were more than that.

They were his family.


	15. Theo

It had been two weeks since he moved into the Geyer-Dunbar household. It was strange to think that he lived here, now. That this was actually his home. The thought had occurred to him so many times, but he never thought he could be so lucky.

He couldn’t begin to describe how much this meant to him. For the first time in a long time, he could actually say he was happy. Truely happy. There was no way to pay Liam and his family back for everything they had given him.  
Not to mention David. Two days after the surprise shopping trip, he had been informed that he now worked for Beacon Hills Memorial. It turns out, being a revered doctor has its advantages, and when David told the management team about him needing a job, it was his within minutes.

He was stunned into silence when David first told him. Literally. It had taken him almost ten minutes to form an audible sentence, meanwhile Jenna and David just smiled. (It was better than Liam’s unsubtle laugh. He could still hear its echo.)  
What was he supposed to say?

He’d tried to find a job, at first, but it was pointless. No one wanted to hire him. Honestly, they hardly even looked at him.  
The obvious places, those which he was best suited to, had been ruled out. The Sheriff’s department, the hospital, the school... they were instantly relegated to the rejection pile. He didn’t bother contemplating the possibility. Not when the Sheriff, Melissa, David and Ms. Martin worked there. It was an impossible option. Well, before he knew otherwise, that is.

That left the local supermarkets, small stores and odd jobs. As you’d expect, it hadn’t gone well. He was passed over seconds after entering the room. Sure, he completed his interviews, but he knew. They didn’t need to say the truth for him to understand. He never had a chance.

Not when you couldn’t explain why you had no permanent address. The fact that he had no references and an unreliable background, certainly didn’t improve his prospects.  
Now, just like that, he was employed.  
Okay, maybe it was only as an assistant to Melissa and the other Nurses, but it was a job, nonetheless. It would give him a regular pay check, and he could _finally_ stop relying on Liam, Jenna and David for everything.

Seriously. Have you tried to say no to these people? It’s impossible. As soon as they knew he liked something, they would be out looking for it. Within hours, it was in his room. No matter how many times he insisted they didn’t need to, they wouldn’t hear of it. He couldn’t deny it felt nice, though. Having someone who wanted to buy presents for him. Someone who wanted him to be happy. Maybe now, he could even repay the favour.

He was just returning from the hospital, now.  
Assistant or not, today was hectic. How many times could one person vomit? Oh, and why was it always in the hallway? Some unknown rule apparently stipulated, that anything involving the hallway was his responsibility.  
If he didn’t know better, he’d think Melissa had put the nurses up to it. On second thought, she may have. There was no denying her mischievous side. She was just as prone to pranks, as he and Stiles were. Don’t ask about the rest of his day. There were some sights that must remain unspoken. Some which could never be erased from his mind.

Either way, all he wanted to do was lie down and sleep. He could already feel the warm embrace of his blanket. The familiar feel of those pillows. Just a few more steps and...  
Where are they?

He’d left them right there. They were _there_ when he left this morning. The rough texture was fresh in his mind. The irreparable rigidity ever present. He always left them _right there_.

It was never different. It never changed. They always sat in the centre of the bed. As soon as he walked in, he could see them. That’s how he wanted it. He needed to see them first, but today he didn’t. Today, they weren’t there. He was staring directly at the empty spot, where they _should_ have been, but weren’t.  
His blanket and pillow, the ones he’d brought with him from his truck, were missing.

They had to be here somewhere. Searching the floor and underneath the bed was ineffective. Breathe. They’ll turn up. They have to be here. It’s not like they could have just disappeared.  
“Theo?”  
Liam. He didn’t even realise anyone else was home. First, it was simply fatigue, but now he couldn’t concentrate. Not until he found them.  
“What are you looking for?”

“My blanket and pillow. They were here this morning. I can’t find them, anywhere. I can’t see them.” Just breathe. They’ll turn up. You’ll find them. Together. Liam will help you.  
“Oh, those. I replaced them.”  
A cold static ran through his body. A numbness he wasn’t used to. He must have misheard. He didn’t- he _couldn’t_... Deep breath. In and out. There had to be another explanation. He had to have misheard. It was the only reasonable explanation.

“You what?”  
“I replaced them. These are for you.”  
In Liam’s hands, he saw a large bag. One he’d completely overlooked a moment ago. His throat grew tight at the sight of the store’s name. ‘Beacon Hills Bedding’. He fought the urge to shake; to scream, whilst Liam pulled out a beautiful new blue blanket, followed by a crisp white pillow.

All he could focus on, though, was that they weren’t his. They weren’t _his_.  
“You had no right.” The growl escaped before he could blink. He didn’t want to control his anger, anymore. Not now. Not over this. Not when Liam looked surprisingly confused. As if it wasn’t the beta’s actions, which had led them here.  
“I thought you’d like them.”  
“You should have _asked!_ ”

“It was supposed to be a surprise. Your one was old and tattered, and I understand now, what you meant by your pillow not being soft. You can’t possibly sleep with those. Even as an additional set to the rest. You obviously wanted a special one, so I bought you a new set. You don’t need an old piece of fabric that’s falling apart...”

He couldn’t breathe. _He couldn’t breathe_.  
Any attempt to maintain composure, to regulate his body was gone. It was a spiral of uncontainable panic, nestling in the centre of his chest. Clawing viciously at his heart. A tremor surged through him, rendering his hand shaky and useless. Tears welled behind his eyes, and instantly spilled over. It was too hard. Too much to hold back. His panic muted all sound, and the world was slipping away into darkness.

“Theo. Theo, look at me.”  
Liam was there. Beside him. On the floor.  
He was on the floor. He didn’t know when he had collapsed, but it didn’t matter. Not when the same three words kept replaying on his mind. Over and over again. _I replaced them_.

Vaguely, he was aware of another presence. Another voice. Another hand on his. It was all distorted, though. As though he were watching through a scratched window, smudged with years of dirt and grime.  
The source was there, in front of him, but he couldn’t see it. Couldn’t recognise the person it belonged to. He couldn’t see anything clearly, and he was beginning to fade out himself. A wave of dizziness threatening to take him under.  
 _I replaced them.  
I replaced them.  
I replaced them._

It’s all he could hear; all that he knew.  
He was past the point of no return. It was over.  
“Theo.”  
Please, make it stop.  
“Theo.”  
Just let him go. Let him breathe.  
“Honey.”  
Two voices. One after the other. He could feel his eyes closing, the weight of holding them open suddenly too strong. If he let them close, maybe he could put this all behind him. Maybe he’d finally wake up. Maybe he’d...

“ _Theo!_ ”  
His breath hitched, and a moment later, he felt a rush of air flood his lungs. They burned slightly from the lack of oxygen, but it eased with every deep breath he took. Slowly, _achingly_ slow, the world came back into focus. Vision clearing, he could finally see who was there. In front of him, staring back with wide and empathetic eyes.  
Jenna and Liam.

Those blue eyes he adored were filled with such concern, such heartache. Jenna’s, on the other hand, showed a deep understanding. All he saw was empathy and compassion. It was all too much. Too confronting. Too strong.  
Letting his head fall to his knees, he curled in on himself. Legs pulled close to his chest, he hid from their intent stares. He heard Jenna asking Liam to stand back; to give him space, and for that, he was grateful.

“Theo.” Liam’s voice was soft, soothing. It was tentative and cautious, as though Liam didn’t want to risk upsetting him. “What was that?”  
He couldn’t answer. He couldn’t voice the words. Despite the fact they had already seen it in full force, he couldn’t bring himself to say them. It was embarrassing. It was weak. _He_ was weak.  
“Theo?”

There was no way around this. Not after Liam had witnessed the entire scene. There was no way out of this. No way Liam would let it go.  
“Theo, honey.”  
Jenna would want to know, too. The concern in her voice... he squeezed his eyes shut, desperately trying to fight the tears.  
“Would you like me to tell Liam?”  
She knows. _Of course_ , Jenna knows. He shouldn’t be surprised. Taking a shaky breath, he felt his entire body tremble with the force. Slowly, he made himself nod. He might not be able to voice the truth, but Jenna could do it for him.

“Mum? What is this about?”  
“Theo had a panic attack, Liam.”  
He could practically feel the sadness wafting off of Liam. The immediate sympathy. The overwhelming compassion. He buried his head deeper into the space between his knees. Blocking out the guilt. The self-pity. The embarrassment.  
“Oh, Theo.”

The raw emotion in those two words, tore a sob from his throat. He felt a hand rest gently on his shoulder; a touch he found himself subconsciously leaning into.  
“I don’t understand. What happened?”  
Those same three words resurfaced; replaying on a constant loop. _I replaced them_. He felt the familiar creeping sensation of his growing panic preparing to take hold again. Any second now, and he’d be right back where he started.

Just like before, Jenna spared him the pain of answering. If he couldn’t bring himself to call this what it was; to admit to his panic attacks, then there was no way he could explain.  
“Theo’s blanket and pillow are sentimental, Liam. They’re important to him. When he came home to find them gone, and you said you’d replaced them, it sent Theo into a spiral. He couldn’t control his stress and anxiety.”

He should have known. Somehow, Jenna always knew. No one had to specifically tell her; she just knew. Of course, she would have heard their shouting. It wasn’t hard for someone to overhear the cause of their fight. It was for the same reason, that Jenna knew _exactly_ why it meant so much to him. She always did. No matter what it was about.

Liam’s hand tightened slightly; a reassurance that he wasn’t alone. That Liam wasn’t leaving. A promise that this didn’t change anything.  
“Is that true?”  
Taking another deep breath, he finally forced himself to look up. Meeting those blue eyes, concern obvious, gave him the last piece of courage he needed. Pushing his lingering doubts aside, he made himself answer the question.

“My blanket and pillow... they’re all I have left of my life before the Dread Doctors. They’re all I have left of the person I used to be. They remind me of a time when I was human. When I wasn’t responsible for...” He trailed off at the sudden realisation, that Jenna was standing _right there_. “I just... I need them. I know they’re falling apart, and it probably makes no sense, but-”  
A hand on his made him stop. Liam had let go of his shoulder, in favour of squeezing his hands. He swallowed back his anxiety, when he noticed how close they were. The way Liam was leaning in; begging him to listen. He fought the urge to do something stupid. To follow that presence.  
To kiss Liam.

The beta’s scent was intoxicating. That, combined with the constant support and freeing him from the attack, left his self-control practically non-existent. It would be _so easy_ to just lean in. To feel the press of Liam’s lips. If he just...  
No. He couldn’t. It wouldn’t help.  
They were friends. Nothing more.

“It makes sense, Theo. You want to have them here with you, and that’s all that matters. No one can tell you how to feel or what you need. Only you know that. You have nothing to apologise for, Theo. You were right. I should have asked, first.”  
“It’s just...”  
“You don’t have to explain. I still have them. I didn’t want to throw them out. It didn’t feel right. They’re in a box in my room.”

Oh, thank goodness. It was an instant relief to know he could see his blanket and pillow in a few moments. That he could feel the coarse fabric against his skin. The flattened cushioning under his head.  
“Thank you... for trying. For thinking about it. I do love the new one, too.”

Liam’s laugh was music to his ears. He was getting cornier by the day, but he couldn’t help it. He really did love the blanket, and he loved that Liam had gone to the effort of buying it for him. It was beautiful, and yet another reminder of everything the beta had done for him. He had every intention of using it...

He just needed his own, as well.


	16. Liam

Why was he doing this?  
He felt ridiculous. He never should have let Mason talk him into this. He really needed to learn how to say no to his best friend. Mason was all too aware of the fact he wouldn’t refuse when it came to him, and oh, did Mason take advantage of that.  
Don’t get him started on the situations he’d been in as a result. The number of times he’d felt foolish in the name of ‘trying new things’, or so Mason claimed. This however, had to be the worst.

“I look stupid.”  
“No, you don’t.”  
This was never going to work. He should pull out now. He should run far from this whole plan. Away from Mason and these absurd ideas.  
“I’m going to make a fool of myself.”  
“No, you’re not. Liam, you’ll be _fine_.  
“He’s going to laugh.”

This was such a bad idea. How did he ever let Mason talk him into this? He can’t go out like this. He can’t be seen like this. _He can’t do this_.  
“Don’t make me do this. _Please_ , Mase.”  
“It’ll be fun. Theo’s going to love it.”  
He never should have told Mason. Ever since he admitted to liking Theo, Mason had been insufferable. Apart from the initial ‘sexuality awakening’ ritual, as Mason called it, the only advice he received was to tell Theo. That’s right. Mase’s _genius_ idea was to confess.

Despite the fact, that he was still reeling from the realisation he liked guys, there was no way he could go through with it. Not when he’d be putting his entire friendship with Theo on the line. More importantly, the position he would be putting Theo in.

Theo had made a lot of progress, and still was. Every day it got easier. Every day Theo appeared to feel more at ease, at home... as part of the family. There was a new found acceptance he hadn’t seen before. Not to this extent. Before, there were still lingering doubts. There were still reservations. Theo wanted so much to believe, and while he could see that Theo did, it was obvious it wasn’t complete.

Theo was still holding back.

If he told Theo how he felt and Theo didn’t feel the same, there was no telling what damage that could do. He wasn’t worried about himself. Not entirely. Of course, it would hurt, but what mattered more was that Theo might very well shut down again. Theo might close off or feel like he wouldn’t stay. That he wouldn’t support Theo or help anymore. That they couldn’t be friends.

He couldn’t let that happen.  
He _wouldn’t_ let that happen.

“Mason, you know I can’t dance. I have two left feet, and _why_ do I have to wear such tight clothes? I feel like a pin cushion.”  
How dare Mason sigh? Not only that, but it was filled with exasperation. As if _he_ were the unreasonable one. As if _he_ was responsible for this idiotic plan.

“We’ve been through this. The clothes look great, Liam. _You_ look great. So much, that it won’t matter that you can’t dance. Besides, Theo wouldn’t laugh.” Mason continued talking, unaffected by his wide-eyed stare. Were they talking about the same person? He and Theo were both known to tease each other. Within reason. This seemed like the former, and it would _definitely_ elicit teasing.  
“Listen, Liam. Anyone who sees you will agree you look amazing. That includes Theo. Maybe tonight, you can tell him.”

He should have known. _Of course_ , this was another plan to make him talk. It wasn’t a bad plan, in reality. Embarrass him with dancing first, and then he might have the confidence to ask. It could work... were it not for Theo being his priority, and the _‘embarrass Liam’_ part.

He could definitely do without that.

Before he could speak, he heard Theo’s truck pull into the driveway. They’d been waiting for Theo to return from buying groceries. Something Theo insisted on doing ever since working at the hospital. Now that Theo was back, though, he felt sick. Shifting in place, he wanted to run.

“Liam?”  
Theo called from downstairs, voice filled with confusion and concern. His heart was probably beating rapidly, and don’t get him started on his chemosignals. Glancing desperately at Mason, he cringed at the wide smile he saw. Mason was enjoying this. A little too much.  
“Liam? Are you o-”

Theo froze in the now open doorway; hand still on the handle. Eyes widening. A deep swallow. The subtle glance down his body. At his clothes. Here it comes. The inevitable laughter. Any second now, Theo would crack, and everything would come out. The amusement. The jokes. His embarrassment.

He tried to prepare for it, but the inevitable never came. Theo never laughed. No, instead, Theo just continued to stare. After a few minutes, seemingly breaking out of whatever trance he was in, Theo finally spoke... and it wasn’t what he expected.  
“Wha-what’s going on?”  
Mason, his so-called best friend, was smiling away. The little shit was enjoying this. “Liam and I are going dancing. Would you like to come?”

“I...”  
Theo was lost for words. Why was Theo lost for words? Over this? It was just dancing. Surely, Theo would say no and leave it at that? Why all the confusion? Why the stuttering? Why the croaky voice?  
“Well? What do you say, Theo? Want to join us? Liam’s an amazing dancer.”  
His heart skipped a beat, his glare intensifying. Was Mason _trying_ to ruin his life? Had he done something wrong? Was Mason angry at him? That had to be it. This wasn’t a plan to help him. It couldn’t be. This had to be a plan to get revenge. It was the only explanation. They both _knew_ he couldn’t dance. He’d already said as much earlier. So, _why_ was Mason claiming he could?  
“I, uh...”

“Something wrong, Theo?”  
What was Mason doing? Did he enjoy seeing them squirm? Apparently, he wasn’t the only one in the firing line. Theo seemed to be on the list as well; since judging by the slight blush rising in Theo’s cheeks, this wasn’t a comfortable situation for Theo, either.

So, it ends now.

“That’s enough, Mason. Clearly Theo, doesn’t want to. Stop pressuring him. This was a terrible idea. I look stupid, and Theo knows it. I’m going to change.”

He made it all of two steps before a hand clasped onto his shoulder. He was unceremoniously pulled back and forced to turn around. He was met with Theo’s unimpressed stare.  
“Don’t speak for me, Liam.”  
“E-excuse me?”  
What was going on? Did Theo want to go dancing, after all?  
“I never said you look stupid.”

He... what? That’s what this was about? Theo didn’t... He was so confused.  
“You don’t?”  
“Of course, not. You look great.”  
He swallowed hard around the mounting hope. It didn’t mean anything. Not like he wanted it to. Not necessarily.  
“Theo-”  
“You look great, Liam.” Theo said it softly. Eyes fixed on his. He let his hope grow, rejoicing at the possibility... until Theo suddenly stood back, clearing his throat. “You both do.”  
He knew it. This wasn’t about him. It was about Theo wanting to convince him he didn’t look completely ridiculous. It was a statement as a friend. No different to how Theo saw Mason.

“I can’t go, though. I don’t know how to dance.”  
Theo admitted to the lack of ability so softly, he wanted to smile. They were in the same boat, this time.  
“Nor can I.”  
Theo’s narrowed gaze almost made him laugh. “Mason said-”  
“Mason’s a dick. He knows I can’t dance, and I don’t know why he’d pretend, otherwise.”

His, so-called best friend, stood back smiling. There was no attempt to hide the obvious amusement. Sighing, he rubbed a hand through his hair, ignoring the unimpressed look he received. He couldn’t care less about what Mason thought, right now. If he messed up the carefully styled hair that Mason had spent an hour perfecting, then so be it.  
“Give me a few minutes to change, and we can watch a movie.” He smiled at the small smile he received from Theo, before casting a narrowed glare at Mason. “ _If_ Mason behaves, I might let him join us.”

Walking away, he took pleasure in Mason’s offended, ‘hey!’ The outraged, ‘you can’t cut me out!’ It served Mason right, after embarrassing him and Theo. Not to mention plotting to make him dance in front of Theo. He shivered just thinking about it.

Maybe Mason would think twice before making that mistake, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two are in trouble, now. With Mason working to convince Liam to confess, there’s no telling what will happen. 😂


	17. Liam

Theo might not admit it, but he knew that Theo liked Luana. Which is why he knew Theo wouldn’t mind when he said she was visiting. It had become a regular occurrence, lately. Once a month, his aunt and uncle went on a date night, and they needed someone to watch Luana, after their usual babysitter had moved away.

He was more than happy to offer to help; after all, they deserved some time to themselves. If he could help give them that, then it was worth it, and besides, he loved spending time with Luana. Just as much as Theo did.  
It was also a well known fact, that Luana loved Theo. He might even be a little jealous of how much; considering he was her cousin and all. Mostly, he was happy, though.

She was thrilled to learn that Theo now lived here. Knowing that she’d see them both more often, made her extremely happy. So much so, that she’d squealed in delight. Hurting both his and Theo’s ears in the process.

Somehow, they had developed a routine. Every time Luana visited, the first course of action was to practice her knowledge as a doctor. They had made it clear at the start, that there were to be no more unexpected surprises with her kit, and so far, they’d had no issues.

Theo always played along, and recently, had put on an entire show. He watched as Theo feigned an illness, pleading with Doctor Luana to heal him. The over-the-top recovery and dramatic thanks, never failed to delight Luana. She took great pride in her work, and at the end of every one, she’d hug Theo. Despite Theo’s attempts to hide it, he never missed the way Theo sunk into the touch and hugged her back.

He was in the middle of making lunch, when the doorbell rung. Malia was waiting, and although they hadn’t been expecting her, he knew Theo would be happy to see her. It was strange to see how close they’d become. Almost more so than Stiles. They seemed to understand each other, in a way no one else could. As if they shared a similar history; a familiar life story... and in a way, they did.  
“Hey, come on in. Theo’s upstairs.”

He didn’t hesitate to carry their lunches up, alongside Malia. He couldn’t wait to see Theo’s smile. Opening the door to his room, though, he froze.

He hadn’t been expecting this.


	18. Theo

How did he let her talk him into this?  
Seriously, she was _six_. She shouldn’t have this much sway over him. How did she make him incapable of saying no? Pretending to be a patient was one thing, and if he were honest, it was actually rather fun. He enjoyed spending time with Luana, (when she wasn’t convincing him to partake in ridiculous situations), and he liked seeing her smile.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact, that her smile reminded him of Liam. He couldn’t help but see the beta in Luana. In saying that, Luana was fun to be around herself. He’d do anything to make her happy, which is _exactly_ how he found himself in this position, in the first place.

She had looked so sad when he said no, and he couldn’t stand it. He’d caved a moment, later, and that’s how he found himself sitting on Liam’s bed, as Luana gave him a makeover.  
Oh, the things he’d do for this family.  
Her smile was worth it, though... until the door opened.

Standing there, was not only Liam, but Malia. _Why was she here?_ He grimaced when she grinned; all the while, cursing the infernal heat that made itself known, instantly. Oh, what he’d do to go back to the days when he didn’t blush. Not the person he was, but the person who could control his emotions.  
“Malia.”

He swallowed around the growing lump in his throat; the anxiety building within his chest.  
“I knew you’d changed, but I didn’t realise how much. Nice look.”  
That only fuelled his flushed skin. He had yet to see what he looked like, but he knew it was quite the sight. He was all too aware of the fact, that Luana had already applied lipstick, eyeshadow, clip-on extensions and nail polish. It didn’t help that he now knew the names of each.

Luana was as invested in make overs, as she was about becoming a doctor.

“Theo is handsome.” Luana stated it so proudly, unaware of his ever increasing embarrassment.  
“Is he now?” Oh, Malia was enjoying this. He didn’t miss the laugh she bit back, nor did he miss her unsubtle glance at Liam. Deep breaths. She’s not going to say anything. You know that. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t make fun of him. She’d just do so without stating the full reason.

“Luana,” Liam interrupted their conversation. “Why don’t we go downstairs and have lunch? We’ll let Theo get cleaned up, and he can meet us there.”  
He was grateful for the out that Liam had offered, but Luana didn’t seem to agree.  
“I only just finished. I don’t want Theo to wash it off. He looks pretty like this.”

Ignore it. Ignore the grin he just _knew_ Malia had. Breathe in. Breathe out. Okay, so Liam saw him covered in make up. It’s fine. There was nothing to worry about. Not when Liam’s first thought was to offer him time alone. Time to think. Time to clear it off.  
“Theo needs to clean up, if he wants to eat. Just like you. Now, let’s go.”

Reluctantly, Luana followed Liam out of the room. Leaving him alone with Malia. He shifted uncomfortably.  
“Malia-”  
“Oh, no, Theo. You’re not getting out of this that easy. Now, talk.”  
Swallowing, he took yet another deep breath. “She wanted to play. What was I supposed to say?”

“Oh, I don’t know. How about no?”  
“Can we _please_ just forget this happened?”  
“Yeah, no way. This is too good an opportunity to let it go unused. It just _begs_ attention.”  
He was doomed.  
Completely and utterly doomed.

“You just _had_ to come by today.”  
“I’m glad I did.”  
Choosing to ignore her, he made his way to the bathroom, so he could _finally_ wash away all visible signs. He didn’t respond to Malia’s comments on his feminine side. He didn’t answer her questions about which product was best. He _adamantly_ ignored the incessant comments on his ‘beautiful extnesions’ and ‘lustrous long hair’.

Not once did his eyes leave the mirror. Not once did they stray to Malia or where she leant against the doorframe. He focused on rubbing the lipstick and its smears off. He paid close attention to the blue on his eyelids. It was hard to ensure it was all gone, when he had to close his eyes, but he succeeded in the end.  
Gently placing the clip-on extensions on the basin, he sighed as Malia continued to grin. The questions had stopped, for now, and she just stood there; watching; smiling.

Now, all that was left was the nail polish.  
He scrubbed, and scrubbed, and scrubbed... but nothing worked. It wouldn’t come off. Ten minutes later, and they were as pink as ever.  
“Having a little trouble?”  
Malia was having way too much fun with this.  
“Are you going to stop any time soon?”  
“Probably not.”

Groaning, he bit back a growl. “Look, if you’re going to hang around, then can you at least be helpful? How do I get this off?”  
Her smirk widened, and he already knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Nor would he like it.  
“You’ll need nail polish remover.”  
“Great. Where is it?”  
“Do I look like I wear nail polish?”  
He didn’t appreciate the raised eyebrow or the attitude. Nor did he appreciate her continuous amusement. It was getting old. Fast.

Pulling his phone out, he tapped a rather irritable message to Liam. He needed to know where Luana kept hers, and preferably, sooner rather than later.  
Unfortunately, the reply he received was less than favourable. It turns out, she’d left it at home. Just what he wanted to hear. It kept getting better. Especially when he realised Malia had been reading over his shoulder.

“Looks like you’re going to have to ask Lydia.”  
The last thing he wanted was to involve anyone else. He didn’t need anyone else seeing him like this. Nor did he want them to know.  
“Can’t you tell her it’s for you?”  
“You really think Lydia would fall for that?”  
He really hated it when Malia was right. There was _no way_ Lydia would believe that. No one would. Malia would never wear nail polish, or any other make up, for that matter.

“Can you at least ask her?”  
Malia snorted. “Fine. I’ll ask for you. Now, stop whining.”  
He cringed, but remained silent as she called. It didn’t help when he heard Lydia question why he hadn’t asked himself. Nor did it help when Lydia told Malia to put him on the phone. Reluctantly, he took hold of the offered device, and he hadn’t even said hello, when she started berating him.

He had no choice, but to listen to her rant about him promising to come to her. To tell her if anything happened. She didn’t take kindly to his attempt to claim this wasn’t a curse. It wasn’t like she’d ever stipulated what to call her about, and he knew that. The problem was, so did Lydia, and she wasn’t impressed at his attempts to find a loop hole. Nor would she let him.

She was so unimpressed that she claimed she was tempted not to let him use it. A thought that left him cringing. The idea of waiting for it to come off on its own, which could take days, if not weeks, made him sick. Nor did he look forward to Stiles and Scott seeing it. It took several pleas to convince her, and even then, it wasn’t easy. It took begging her not to let Stiles see him like this, before she finally relented.

Even then, it was only because they both knew Stiles would never let him hear the end of it. Not after daring Stiles to get a makeover, in front of the entire Pack. Hanging up, he sighed and went to hand it back to Malia... who was grinning like the cat who’d caught the canary.  
“Don’t.”  
“So...”  
“I mean it, Malia. Leave it.”  
She accepted that he really didn’t want to talk about it. Just like always. They may still tease each other, but they knew when the other had had enough.

“Why did it have to be pink?”  
“I think it looks good on you.”  
“Oh, very funny.” He ignored her laugh, in favour of walking back to his room. Malia followed; laughter slowly subsiding.  
As he sat down on his bed, he took a moment to drag a hand roughly through his hair.  
“Who names nail polish ‘Pretty In Pink’, anyway? It’s ridiculous.”

He would have continued, were it not for the sudden heavy breathing from across the room. He looked up and was met with a clearly distressed Malia. The shortness of breath. The glazed eyes. The hand clawing desperately at her chest.  
All clear signs of a panic attack.

“Malia. Malia, you need to breathe.” She glared at him, but it was lacking its usual heat. “Look at me.” She didn’t. Instead, she closed her eyes. Every breath became faster; shorter. “I know it’s hard, but you need to listen. Look at me, Malia.”

Painfully slow, she did. Panic visible in her eyes. He took hold of her hand, squeezing to draw her attention. He ignored the sting as her claws cut into his skin. He ignored the increased pressure, as she squeezed back. With his other hand, he rubbed circles along her back. It seemed silly, but it seemed to work.

He didn’t know what made him think of it. All he knew, was that Liam’s presence had helped him. Jenna’s soothing words had comforted him. He figured it was worth a try. After all, it couldn’t hurt.

Gradually, her breathing evened out. Letting her head fall into her lap, he finally let go. He wiped his hand with a nearby tissue, before turning back when Malia spoke.  
“I’m sorry.”  
“For what?”  
“Your hand.”  
He actually laughed at that. “It’s fine. It’s already healed. You have nothing to apologise for.”

“I just... you said pretty in pink.”  
“Yeah?” His breath hitched, when he realised Malia was crying. It was a painful and troubling sight.  
“Kiley used to say that... when dressing up.”  
It all made sense, now. Such a simple reminder of such a sad past. A traumatic experience. He knew just how small a trigger could be, and that it didn’t stop the powerful and overwhelming impact they had.

“It’s okay, Malia. I understand. I, uh... I have panic attacks, as well.” He swallowed at the intense look he received. Her unwavering stare.  
“Since when?”  
“Since Morgana cursed me? Between being cursed, you and Stiles out to embarrass me and the constant reminders of my past, it happened quite regularly. I know what it’s like to feel like you can’t breathe. Like the entire world is collapsing in on you. Like your heart is going to explode any second now. I know what it’s like.”

Malia closed her eyes, before releasing a tired sigh.  
“I just miss her. I miss them.”  
He also knew how that felt. He had first hand experience with that kind of regret and guilt.  
“I do, too. That feeling... it’s not going to go away, but it will get better. I promise.”

For the next twenty minutes, they stayed where they were. He was well aware that Liam had heard every word, and neither of them were ready to face it. Especially when Luana was downstairs, and would instantly call for their attention. For now, they just needed some time. They needed to feel and come to terms with their grief, before making their way downstairs.

When they finally did leave his room, it was to find Luana and Liam at the dining table. As predicted, Luana instantly leapt into action. She questioned where they’d been and why it took so long. She went on and on about how he should have left the make up on. Thankfully, Liam drew her focus away as fast as possible, and they had a moment to breathe.

Then the doorbell rung, and he knew Lydia was waiting. Rushing to open the door, he sighed in relief, when he saw the small bottle of nail polish remover in her hands.  
The relief was short lived, though. When he reached out to grab the bottle, Lydia pulled back. She was still irritable, after not being told straight away. He wanted to remove the nail polish and now, but he knew that wasn’t going to happen. Not until Lydia allowed him to. He was going to have to make it up to her.  
“Hey, Lydia.” He smiled, but it fell at her stern look. It didn’t waver for a second.

“Don’t, ‘hey, Lydia’, me.”  
Swallowing, he tried to find a way out of this. Unfortunately, he wasn’t given the chance. He couldn’t get a word in, before Lydia was talking, or rather, lecturing him.  
“How dare you not tell me? How dare you have Malia call me instead? I thought we were past this.”  
“It’s embarrassing, Lydia. It wasn’t personal.”  
“Oh, but Malia gets to know?”  
“I didn’t _tell_ Malia. She walked in.”

This wasn’t going well. He knew Lydia wouldn’t hold out forever, but she would draw it out. She would make this uncomfortable. No one insults Lydia and gets away with it.  
“Lydia, please. I didn’t want to go into the details myself. That’s all. Can I _please_ have the bottle, now?”

He waited anxiously, as she stared at him. Focused and thoughtful, she didn’t move. Nor did she speak for the first few minutes. Finally, she sighed, and he knew then that she’d relented. A moment later, he had the bottle in his hand, and he was thanking Lydia. He was lucky she was so forgiving, but he needed to be careful. He needed to start involving her...

Next time, he might not be let off so easy.


	19. Theo

Liam was outside talking to Lydia and Malia, who were getting ready to leave. He was inside watching Luana, relishing in the fact that he was free of all traces of make up.  
Lying down on his bed, he felt like he could fall asleep. In fact, he was so close. If he stayed where he was, he probably would. He should sit up, no, he _needed_ to sit up. He was supposed to keeping an eye on Luana, and he couldn’t do that, if he was sleeping.

“Are you and Liam dating?”  
Just like that, he was up and staring at the girl across from him. Luana just stared back, unaffected by what she’d just asked. As if it hadn’t thrown his world into a sharp spin.  
“What? No. Of course, not.”  
“Are you sure?”  
Am I- Oh for the...

Listening closely to the people outside, he took a deep breath when he heard the familiar and unchanged heartbeat. Liam didn’t hear. Thank goodness. Someone else had, though. He didn’t miss the scent of pure delight coming from outside. Malia heard, and he just _knew_ that he’d hear about this, later.

“Luana, I’m not dating Liam.”  
She studied him for a moment, and yes, it was unnerving. There was something about her, that left him wary. It felt as though she could see into his soul.  
“You want to.”  
Calm breaths. Maintain your heartbeat. He knew Malia was still listening, and he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of hearing it rise.  
“What?”  
“You like Liam.”  
“I don’t-”  
“Lying is bad.”  
Malia let a laugh slip, and he swallowed when he heard Liam ask what was so funny. She covered for him, but now Liam was alert. If Luana said anything else...

“Okay. Look, you’re right.” He waited until he was sure Liam wasn’t listening, before he let himself continue. “Lying is bad. The truth is, I do like Liam.” Deep breath. No one was listening. Even Malia had decided to grant him some privacy, whilst ensuring Liam was distracted.  
He owed her for this.

“I knew it. We have to tell, Liam.”  
“No!”  
He swallowed at her intense stare.  
“Why not?”  
“I don’t want him to know. I need you to keep this between us.”  
“Secrets are bad.”  
Oh, for the... “Luana, please. This is important. I need you to promise you won’t tell anyone. Especially Liam.”

“Why is it important?”  
“I, uh... I’m scared.”  
He let out a shaky breath, as he waited for her reply. There was no way to know what Luana would say. Not until she decided herself.  
“Are you scared he won’t like you?”

She’s six. Seriously. _How_ did she know exactly what he was thinking?  
“We’re just friends.”  
“I’ve seen the way Liam looks at you. You’re not friends.” She sounded so determined; so certain.

He wished he shared her confidence. “How- how does he look at me?”  
“Liam looks at you like Belle looks at the Beast.”  
That hit a little too close to home for comfort. Being compared to the Beast; an unkind and angry creature, hurt, but he tried to focus on the end of the movie. When Belle’s love freed the Beast from the curse. When Prince Adam was returned to his own body. To the fact, Belle loved him, anyway.

Could Liam really see him like that? Could Liam really... Did Liam like him? Was it really possible?  
No. It was just a six year old child reading into something that wasn’t there. Luana was seeing something which didn’t exist. A fairytale designed to satisfy her dreams.  
“He doesn’t.”

“I know what I saw. Liam loves you.”  
Breathe. Just... calm down. The last thing he needed was to have another panic attack. It wasn’t pleasant to begin with, let alone having one in front of Luana. He didn’t want to scare her, nor did he need her calling Liam for help. Liam would come running; so would Malia and Lydia, and they would want to know what had caused it. He wasn’t sure Luana would keep quiet, if that happened.  
“No, he doesn’t. Now, I need you to promise you won’t tell him. Please. This needs to stay between us.”  
“I’m not meant to hide anything.”

He hated that he was teaching Liam’s cousin to keep secrets, but he wasn’t lying when he said it was important. In fact, it was more than important. It was vital. He was desperate, and besides, it’s not like it was dangerous or wrong.  
All he was asking was that Luana respect his right to privacy. That was fair. He couldn’t be blamed for that.

“Please, Luana. Liam can’t know.”  
“Okay. I won’t tell anyone, but you’re wrong. He does love you.”  
Oh, thank goodness. He could live with her fantasy, as long as she didn’t tell anyone else. It was however, getting harder to hide. Especially, when a six year old could tell.

He needed to hide his feelings better, or he was going to be in trouble.


End file.
